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Rhetorical bending.

Just for fun I thought I’d make a list of paired words and phrases that exhibit obvious (and opposing) rhetorical slants:

global warming – climate crisis

illegal alien – undocumented worker

low budget – lean

liberal – progressive

muckraker – investigative reporter

blogger – citizen journalist

mainstream media – mass media

intellectual property – my ideas

long tail – niche markets

guerrilla marketing – opportunistic publicity

reducing overhead – firing people

… any more suggestions?

2 Comments

  1. Ace

    government whistle-blower — leaker

    inheritance tax – death tax

    insurgent – freedom fighter

  2. Strohmy

    supreme court justices — activist judges

    pro-choice — pro-abortion

    pro-life — anti-abortion / anti-choice

    transexual — gender-reassigned

    It’s interesting how many examples we find on the seedier side of life:

    porn — adult entertainment

    stripper — exotic dancer

    whore — sex worker

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