Tell me more ×
English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 3 down vote favorite

Is there a word or expression that describes phrases like "Freedom fries" or "Death panels"? I'm thinking of phrases that seem intentionally designed to either re-frame a familiar concept or to be purposely evocative. The examples I can think of are mostly (US) political: "Job creators", "Death panels", "Death tax", "Freedom fries", etc.

share|improve this question
Noun/noun pairs? – Mitch Jun 14 '12 at 20:13
6  
"Weasel words" or "loaded language". – MετάEd Jun 14 '12 at 20:16
1  
More generally, "labeling". See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda#Techniques – MετάEd Jun 14 '12 at 23:35

1 Answer

up vote 6 down vote accepted

I would call them propaganda phrases and, in some cases, dog-whistle phrases.

share|improve this answer
1  
I don't know why you were downvoted. This strikes me as a good answer. – J.R. Jun 14 '12 at 20:44
1  
Hadn't heard of "dog-whistle phrases". What a great way of describing them. MetaEd's "Weasel words" suggestion in the comments was good as well. – michaelmichael Jun 14 '12 at 21:03

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.