British Quote by John Pilger
“Using the passive voice is always very helpful. Mind you, a lot of that propaganda English emanates from here. The British establishment has always used the passive voice. It's been a weapon of discourse so those who committed terrible acts in the old empire could not be identified.”
About This Quote
Source Article: Political language critique, 1990s
The passive voice obscures responsibility, allowing regimes to hide culpability and manipulate discourse.
In simple terms: Passive voice hides who did what.
Key Takeaway
Question language use.
Themes
politics
language
responsibility
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
linguistic
political
When to use this quote
- journalism
- political speeches
- education
- public policy
Key Concepts
Rhetorical analysis
propaganda studies
Questions to Reflect On
- When is passive voice appropriate?
- How to expose hidden actors?
A Different Perspective
Passive voice can be stylistically neutral.
![“No wonder that Churchill described this effort [the British codebreakers working at Bletchley Park] as "Britian"s secret weapon," a weapon far more effective than the buzz bombs and the rockets that Werner von Braun designed for a German victory, a weapon absolutely decisive, in the judgement of…” quote by Peter Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/5c3/peter-hilton-61015_allies_no-wonder-that-churchill-described-this_4600.jpg)
