The set language (called sometimes humorously xyloglossy , Greek xylon : wood and glossos : language) is a figure of Rhétorique consisting in diverting reality by the words.

It is a form of expression which, in particular in political matters, is used to dissimulate a lack of accurate informations on event or project, by proclaiming banalities either abstract and pompeuses or exploiting the feelings more than on the facts.

But always it is not a question to impress the interlocutor while passing for more erudite than one is not. The set language in policy has in addition to utility Sophistique, a diplomatic utility : the words are then used to neutralize or soften the things which they qualify. From this point of view it is the work of the prudence and the trick which are cardinal qualities of the sovereign (one speaks about these so important qualities to the eyes of Machiavel).

Particular uses

The set language is the ingredient of some Slogan S, formulas very general, supposed to strike the spirits and easy to retain, but hiding a certain darkness of the argumentation and sought-after goals.

A particular form of set language is the Logorrhée (or the blah ), which seeks to drown the interlocutor under a flood of useless words, for example with an aim of making pass a Idéologie or of eluding a delicate question.

Examples

• In policy: the things, it is to assume the transparency, but to have well with the spirit that when the limit is crossed, when for example one comes to touch with the personal life, with the consequences that can have for example on the children, then it can be that here or there one left the debate. ” (Jean-François Cope)
• Of the random generators, largely diffused on the Net, allows seizing restitutions of examples of set language:
• “Where that we carries out the duality of the economic trend, one must be concerned with totality of the problems of good sense. ”
• “Because of crisis of this end of century, it is preferable to take into account the majority of the ways of good sense. ”

See too

• Politically correct
• Demagogy