doublespeak

[/ˈdʌbəlspiːk/]
noun
dupla linguagem
1. language that deliberately obscures, disguises, distorts, or reverses the meaning of words; ambiguous or evasive language used to mislead or confuse
The politician's doublespeak made it impossible to understand his actual position on the issue.
A dupla linguagem do político tornou impossível compreender sua posição real sobre o assunto.
2. deceptive or euphemistic language used by governments, corporations, or institutions to make something unpleasant or unethical sound acceptable
The company used doublespeak to describe the layoffs as 'right-sizing' and 'restructuring'.
A empresa usou dupla linguagem para descrever as demissões como 'reajuste de tamanho' e 'reestruturação'.
The term 'doublespeak' gained prominence following George Orwell's 1984, where the totalitarian government used similar deceptive language. It is commonly used in American political discourse and media criticism. In Brazil, the concept is recognized in discussions of corporate communication, government transparency, and media literacy.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
obfuscationequivocationambiguitycircumlocutionjargoneuphemismnewspeak
Antonyms / Antônimos
plain speechcandorhonestyclaritytransparency

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
dupla linguagem
most common formal translation used in media and academia
General Brazilian
linguagem enganosa
alternative translation emphasizing the deceptive aspect
Portugal
linguagem dúbia
more formal Portuguese European variant
Portugal
discurso ambíguo
alternative European Portuguese expression

Related Words

misleadingdeceptionrhetoricpropagandasophistryevasionverbosity

Related Idioms & Phrases

speak with a forked tongue
talk out of both sides of one's mouth
call a spade a spade (opposite meaning)
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →