Re:George Orwell, “Politics and the English Language” (1946)
by pdabbadabba on Friday August 12, 2016 @01:23PM
(#12277278)
Fair enough! Though I also don't think anyone was claiming that listening for the passive voice is the best or only way to identify when someone is dodging responsibility.
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Re:George Orwell, “Politics and the English Language” (1946)
by dllthomas on Saturday August 13, 2016 @10:49AM
(#12281703)
I don't think anyone was claiming that listening for the passive voice is the only way to identify when someone is dodging responsibility.
I do think it is being identified (at least) as an important or effective way of noticing when you are being evasive in your own writing - otherwise why is "the passive is often used to conceal agency" even relevant to the question of improving your writing? And I think to that end, asking the more direct question is better.