With ‘re-education’, junta ratchets up its war of words
Re: “Disobedient politicians may face re-education”, Front page, March 29.
As a language freak, I suppose I ought to be delighted to see the wonderful flurry of neologisms (call them spin-words) currently proliferating under aegis of the junta. George Orwell (see “Dictating the meaning of democracy”, Letters, March 15) would be rubbing his hands in glee. But the increasingly deceptive nature of these spin-words continues to dismay.
If “attitude adjustment” really means brainwashing, the newly proposed “training course” must mean brainwashing with muscle. The former implies mere talking. The latter suggests a bit of slapping around. I wonder how long it will be before we get brain-shaping – the surgical reconfiguration, and in some cases removal, of those parts of offending brains that might inspire thoughts, words and deeds displeasing to the junta. Lobotomies immediately come to mind.
I hope the next neologism to emerge won’t have anything to do with a “guided” referendum.
Ye Olde Pedant
