Adjectives and adverbs

From SourceWatch
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Adjectives and adverbs, while serving as descriptive language components that can better define an idea, can also be used to pass along an opinion and can be used to convey a propagandist's message. The description might simply be wrong, or it might serve as an element of other propaganda techniques.

Adjectives are used to describe a person, place or thing. Adverbs describe an action. A propagandist usually expresses an attribute of something in a way that will bring the desired opinion of the person, or place, or thing. Adjectives or adverbs can be used to subjectively describe circumstances in terms a propagandist desires.

If a speech maker declared "It will be a dark, dreary day if my opponent gets his way," adjectives would be used to construct an alliteration, to infer a negative connotation and to appeal to fear.

Adjectives and adverbs can be checked for propaganda value by asking whether the descriptive term lends any additional meaning to its noun or verb. If the description is redundant, chances are it is employed as part of propaganda tactics.