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How Does Winston Churchill Use Pretentious Diction

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World War II was a difficult time in history to stable and believe in a brighter future. In England, Prime Minister Winston Churchill provided the courageous voice for the people not only in England, but others who were terrorized by the ruthless and barbaric actions by the Nazi party. In Winston Churchill’s moving call-to-arms speech Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat from 1940, Churchill appeals intensely to all feelings, logic, and uses pretentious diction through emotional appeals in everyone in the audience. He had the public’s best interest and security at heart when he made his speech and delivered it with incredible finesse. Churchill builds credibility in order to make his audience believe in his words by providing their standpoint in the war they face against Nazi Germany. The main objective of this speech is to encourage the British to fight for their country and not accept defeat in the battle known as World War II. He also addresses his audience and “Mr. Speaker” that the creation of a War Cabinet was necessary in order to protect …show more content…

Identified by George Orwell in Politics and the English Language, Churchill’s speech uses pretentious diction in words in order to place a larger affect on his audience. George Orwell defines pretentious diction as words that are “used to dress up a simple statement and give an air of scientific impartiality to biased judgments” and the Prime Minister uses them to his advantage. With expressions such as “the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime” is used to exploit the terrible misdeeds of Nazi Germany. “Dark and lamentable” are words to connote a mournful and distressed perception onto his crowd, an effect the offending party has shrouded the world in. Dressed up words such as these weigh heavily upon Churchill’s audience and their vulnerable emotions in an ominous tone in order to deliver his

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