How are weasel words used in advertising?
Weasel words, or phrases, are used in marketing/advertising in order to avoid making a direct statement or promise. I.e. they are used as a way to say something that legally, or truthfully, cannot be said.
Is fast a weasel word?
Adjectives are a mixed bag — some, like “female”, “upper-middle class,” and “mobile” have a degree of precision and meaning, while others, like “fast” or “cheap” are weasel words that have no definition.
Why would someone be called a weasel?
You can call someone who cheats and lies a weasel, or you can use the word literally, to refer to the small furry mammal called a weasel. In fact, the word’s Proto-Germanic origin wisand carries the meaning of a stinky animal. The verb weasel means to sneak or evade, like when you weasel out of doing the dishes.
Is it possible to remove weasel words from your vocabulary?
Although it may take practice to remove all weasel words from your vocabulary, it’s worth the effort to produce writing with integrity. The fewer weasel words you use, the stronger your writing will be. Tom Corson-Knowles is the founder of TCK Publishing, and the bestselling author of 27 books including Secrets of the Six-Figure author.
When did weasel words start to be used?
The Skeptics Dictionary says “Weasel words give the impression of taking a firm position while avoiding commitment to any specific claim.” “ [I]t wasn’t until the turn of the 20th century in the USA that the phrase ‘weasel words’ first occurred in print.
What’s the meaning of weasel words in politics?
The meaning of the term “weasel words” has nothing to do with the tendency of weasels to crawl about unnoticed and insinuate themselves into the sentences of innocent politicians; it has to do with a rather picturesque analogy for telling lies. Weasels are bold and ferocious predators, with an insidious reputation for deception.
Which is the most famous example of a weasel?
Some of the ugliest, most notorious examples of Weasel emerge when a public figure has to apologize for bad behavior. President Richard M. Nixon demonstrated his mastery of Weasel when he resigned the presidency in disgrace.
