Thursday, December 16, 2010

Weasel Words

Weasel words is an informal term for words and phrases aimed at creating an impression that something specific and meaningful has been said, when in fact only a vague or ambiguous claim has been communicated. For example, an advertisement may use a weasel phrase such as "up to 50% off on all products"; this is misleading because the audience is invited to imagine many items reduced by the proclaimed 50%, but the words taken literally mean only that no discount will exceed 50%, and in practice the vendor is free to not reduce any prices and still remain faithful to the wording of the advertisement.

The use of weasel words to avoid making an outright assertion is a synonym to tergiversate. Weasel words can imply meaning far beyond the claim actually being made. Some weasel words may also have the effect of softening the force of a potentially loaded or otherwise controversial statement through some form of understatement, for example using detensifiers such as "somewhat" or "in most respects".

Verb

to tergiversate (third-person singular simple present tergiversates, present participle tergiversating, simple past and past participle tergiversated)

1. (intransitive) To evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate.

2. (intransitive) To change sides or affiliation; to apostatize.
From Wikipedia the free encyclopaedia [edited for clarity]


Paulie

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

first responder

Craig Pepe

Painful Paulie said...

Hey Craig,...Welcome to my esoteric Blog. 1st over the line.

Maranatha

Paulie

Anonymous said...

thanks,

as someone who has gotten more cold shoulder than the average person, (but who still realizes that some have had more cold shoulder than I)

welcomes are big with me

Anonymous said...

Por que, yo no veo my blog on this new blog?

Anonymous said...

linkame


linkame mucho

Painful Paulie said...

Hey Craig,...Done.

Paulie

Timster said...

It's free...just a dollar!

Steve Bayley said...

Hey V

Is this your blog or another one of Craigs' (cough) just wonderin'. Nice start to this brother.

I wait in anticipation......I see Timster had to put his 2 cents in hehehehe.

Steve B

Painful Paulie said...

Hey Craig,..Sometimes we don't need to say anymore, than we have.

Painful P.

Anonymous said...

whats everyone drinking tonight

i have a bottle of white whine

8 bucks local liquor store

Steve Bayley said...

Hey V,
Sorry you never replied to my comment, am I intruding on you and Craig??? Jeez, I hope not

Steve Bayley said...

Whats the word I am lookin' for..... credibility, thats the one

Steve Bayley said...

You know what worries me V? Well I will tell you, over at Les' place he refers to "israel" as Rothschildlandia", you don't, you demonize a state that does not even exist, why is that? why do you not acknowledge that the so called "israel" was created by the Rothschilds and is doomed to extinction because of that. Don't get me wrong, it needs to be destroyed, but, think of this..... America,UK, are hated by the mid east for what the few in those countries have done, rightly so, but should the whole of the population of those countries be condemned? I think not...... To condemn the whole of this place that does not even exist is tantamount to treason, because you have played right into the hands of the real perpetrators of this whole sorry mess;. The world is ruled by a few, not a country, not a continent... a few, and these are the few we should be singling out, so, either hit the nail where it should be hit, or come clean and tell me what your real purpose is. I hate to write this, but I left a valid comment over on Veritas 6464 that you never responded to, now, that would not be a problem if you did that often, but you don't, you always respond to comments... What happened?? Demonizing a place that does not have a right to exist does nothing but justify the destruction of that place.. Bring on WW3, because that is what will happen, just like the evil ones always wanted, come on V, what the hell is goin' on????? By the way, haven't seen you over at Les' place for a long time, why is that?????

Long live Palestine, and may ALL the Rothschilds die soon, very soon, for, when they leave this life, so do all their minions.

Steve B

Painful Paulie said...

Hey Steve,..I did not see that comment at veritas, I'm sorry. I will read it and respond. I ahve removed most of Craig's slurred inanities as it is obvious by confession that he is of his face; I have left the evidence of his confession for all t see.

Perhaps you haven't noticed that I refer to israhell as israhell and I refer to Australia as rothschalia. Also, I never use capitals when I do not wish to show respect for an entity or a person.

I choose to use lower-case for veritas6464 because it is a nickname it is not real. Some people don't use Caps either, it is a matter of choice and choice is freedom and that is what I am fighting for, your freedom, my freedom, every humans freedom.

Les has his own agenda and style; I enjoy his work for what I find in it that I like. I do not wish to be a clone nor do I want any of the other Blogs I respect and enjoy to mimick Les visible. I link to Petri Dish here because that is the emotive eclectic I am selling here. I link to Mirrors at veritas for the socio-political edge.

As for the ad hominem body of your spurious accusations I am speechless. I will not be responding to them.

Merry Christmas.

Painful P.

Steve Bayley said...

Hey V,
I apologize for any abrasiveness in my last comment, you see, I worry sometimes that ppl lose sight of the real perpetrators of the murder and mayhem. I also forgot that you don't censor comments before they go up, hence all the crap from craig, maybe you should censor first V, if you did, I would not be eating humble pie right now.

rothschalia.... I like that.....sweeeet

Respect and apologies V

Steve B

Argent said...

That's not a weasel, it's a mongoose. No relation at all to weasels.