Chapter 3: Mentalese Summary and Analysis

Chapter 3: Mentalese

This chapter begins with Pinker talking about George Orwell's 1984. After 1984 passed, it seemed that Orwell's predictions were not going to come true. What many people did not realize is that Orwell's predictions went much farther. The real changes would take place before 2050 when "Newspeak" would be prevalent in society, replacing "Oldspeak." Newspeak would be an adaptation of the language that would eliminate certain meanings of certain words; all negative connotations toward politics and government would be removed. When the old language is replaced, the thoughts that had accompanied those words would also cease to exist.

This is not an uncommon theory. As it is, many politicians and marketing firms engage in doublespeak - using words that soften images and meanings of words. The change in these words is meant to soften a person's perceptions.

Orwell does offer...