Political Language and Public Perception

Reading Passage: The lexicon of politics often navigates a landscape riddled with euphemisms, where language is meticulously crafted to veil contentious issues. In this sphere, terms like 'collateral damage' obscure the harsh realities of warfare, while 'enhanced interrogation techniques' sanitizes acts deemed as torture. Political rhetoric, thus, not only reflects prevailing ideologies but also plays a critical role in shaping public perception. This manipulation of language is not merely an exercise in semantics; it is a strategic endeavor to garner support or diffuse dissent.

Question: The author of the passage suggests that political language functions primarily to: