But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.

them. The first is staleness of imagery: the other is lack of precision.

What is above all needed is to let the meaning choose the word, and not the other way about.

no one capable of using phrases like ‘objective consideration of contemporary phenomena’ – would ever tabulate his thoughts in that precise and detailed way. The whole tendency of modern prose is away from concreteness.

The great enemy of clear language is insincerity.

prose consists less and less of words chosen for the sake of their meaning, and more of phrases tacked together like the sections of a prefabricated hen-house.

The attraction of this way of writing is that it is easy.

The beginning and ending of the sentence follow the original meaning fairly closely, but in the middle the concrete illustrations – race, battle, bread – dissolve into the vague phrase ‘success or failure in competitive activities’. This

In (5) words and meaning have almost parted company.