1984-words and expressions

Words and expressions used in the book

Airstrip One

Part of Oceania, once known as Britain.

Doublethink is the act of accepting two contradictory beliefs as correct. Doublethink is due to a lack of cognitive dissonance—thus the person is completely unaware of any conflict or contradiction. According to  George Orwell, doublethink is: “…..to believe that democracy was impossible and that the Party was the guardian of democracy, to forget whatever it was necessary to forget, then to draw it back into memory again at the moment when it was needed, and then promptly to forget it again….”

Ministry of Love (Newspeak: Miniluv) It enforces loyalty to Big Brother through fear, and repression, as well as systematic brainwashing. Referred to as "the place where there is no darkness", its interior lights are never turned off. It is arguably the most powerful ministry, controlling the will of the population.

 Ministry of Peace (Newspeak: Minipax) serves as the war ministry of Oceania's government, and is in charge of the armed forces, mostly the navy and army. The Ministry of Peace may be the most vital force of Oceania, as the nation is at war continuously with either Eurasia or Eastasia and requires just the right force in order not to  win the war, but to keep it in a state of equilibrium.

Ministry of Plenty (Newspeak: Miniplenty) is in control of Oceania's planned economy. It deals with rationing food, supplies, and goods. Telescreens often make reports on how Big Brother has been able to increase economic production, even when production has actually gone down.

Ministry of Truth (Newspeak: Minitrue) is the ministry of propaganda. In reality it serves the opposite: it is responsible for any necessary falsification of historical events.

Newspeak The official language of Oceania and the new language of the Party, devised to meet the ideological needs of Ingsoc (English Socialism). The goal of Newspeak is to reduce the English language to the fewest words possible blackwhite – to believe that black is white, to know that black is white, and to forget that one has ever believed the contrary , doublethink -the act of simultaneously accepting two mutually contradictory beliefs as correct,  unperson -someone of whom, after his or her execution, any evidence that he or she ever existed was erased, free – meaning negative freedom (without) in a physical sense, only in statements like "This dog is free from lice", as the concepts of "political freedom" and "intellectual freedom" do not exist in Newspeak.

“Un-“ is a Newspeak prefix used for negation. It is used as a prefix to make the word negative, since there are no antonyms in Newspeak. Therefore, for example, warm becomes uncold. On the other hand, the Party controls one’s ability to think negatively by  allowing only the positive term preceded by “un-“. For example, the concept of “bad” can be expressed only with ungood.

 

Party Slogans Examples include: “War is Peace”; “Freedom is Slavery”; “Ignorance is Strength.”

War is peace: nobody questions the Party while at war. People are focused on war and they have no energy and no time to fight against  the systemor be aware of internal problems. It brings people together.                            

Ignorance is strength: if people remain ignorant, they will not question the Party. If they can’t recognize the negative aspects of the system, the Party will be stronger and stronger.                                                                 
Freedom is slavery: if people are free to think for themselves, do things and express ideas, they may realize and oppose the contradictions. So everybody is made weak. They may become slaves to their own ideas and not be strong under one idea from the Party. As a result, they are brought to think that freedom is indeed enslavement.

Telescreen

An oblong metal plaque that looks like a dulled mirror and acts like a television, a camera, and a listening device for the Inner Party and Thought Police. There is no way to shut it off completely, and it keeps tabs on all Party members.

Thought Police

It is used by  the Inner Party that seeks out those against the System, searching out anyone with even the smallest thoughts against the Party or Big Brother. Their powers of observation force everyone to live as though they are always being watched or listened to.

Thoughtcrime

Thinking against the Party, complaining about the Party, doubting Big Brother, or questioning any Party action or "fact."

Two Minutes Hate
Daily requirement for all Party members. Organized group of members watches Party presentations on a telescreen denouncing Goldstein and war enemies (either Eastasia or Eurasia), and celebrating Big Brother. Causes great outbursts of hatred such as directed screaming and violence at screen representations of the enemy.

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