Paul Chilton
@paulchilton.bsky.social
European. Internationalist. Humanist. Retired Prof of linguistics, affiliated to Oxford, Warwick, Lancaster. Can’t stop thinking, reading, writing.
My latest book is a political one: “Brexitspeak: Demagoguery and the Decline of Democracy”.
My latest book is a political one: “Brexitspeak: Demagoguery and the Decline of Democracy”.
Linguists…(2) Syntax
It’s well known Trump uses simple sentences. It’s a marker of all populism, authoritarianism and potentially dictatorial rule, and other linguists may have already covered this. We need to track it across languages, and between far-right actors.and political cultures.
It’s well known Trump uses simple sentences. It’s a marker of all populism, authoritarianism and potentially dictatorial rule, and other linguists may have already covered this. We need to track it across languages, and between far-right actors.and political cultures.
December 20, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Linguists…(2) Syntax
It’s well known Trump uses simple sentences. It’s a marker of all populism, authoritarianism and potentially dictatorial rule, and other linguists may have already covered this. We need to track it across languages, and between far-right actors.and political cultures.
It’s well known Trump uses simple sentences. It’s a marker of all populism, authoritarianism and potentially dictatorial rule, and other linguists may have already covered this. We need to track it across languages, and between far-right actors.and political cultures.
… le trumpisme est une langue dépouillée et décousue, qui trouve son efficacité dans la répétition. L’un des mots favoris du président américain est hoax ou canular. L’ingérence russe à son profit, dans la campagne présidentielle de 2016 ? « Hoax. »Ses inculpations judiciaires en 2023 ? « Hoax. »
December 19, 2025 at 10:36 AM
… le trumpisme est une langue dépouillée et décousue, qui trouve son efficacité dans la répétition. L’un des mots favoris du président américain est hoax ou canular. L’ingérence russe à son profit, dans la campagne présidentielle de 2016 ? « Hoax. »Ses inculpations judiciaires en 2023 ? « Hoax. »
Trump’s political dialect cries out for expert linguistic analysis. For a start, there is an ideological language policy. (1) The Trump regime has proscribed hundreds of words, including: racist, climate crisis, diversity…
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Linguists must keep track of these.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Linguists must keep track of these.
These Words Are Disappearing in the New Trump Administration
Federal agencies have issued guidance to employees on hundreds of terms to limit or avoid using. An analysis of government websites shows many of the same words being removed.
www.nytimes.com
December 19, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Trump’s political dialect cries out for expert linguistic analysis. For a start, there is an ideological language policy. (1) The Trump regime has proscribed hundreds of words, including: racist, climate crisis, diversity…
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Linguists must keep track of these.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Linguists must keep track of these.
Sorry to be gloomy at Xmas, but Trumpspeak and MAGAspeak continue to develop… they constitute a quasi-dialect. Analysing it should give us linguists plenty to do, whatever your specialism. If you fear the rise of fascism, it’s kind of a democratic duty, the least we can do is as linguists.
specialism.you
December 18, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Sorry to be gloomy at Xmas, but Trumpspeak and MAGAspeak continue to develop… they constitute a quasi-dialect. Analysing it should give us linguists plenty to do, whatever your specialism. If you fear the rise of fascism, it’s kind of a democratic duty, the least we can do is as linguists.
The BBC messed up by juxtaposing two extracts from different parts of Trump’s Capitol riot speech. But the fact is he did say “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol” and “we fight”. And used the word “fight” multiple times throughout. Mere metaphor? That depends what the rioters thought it meant.
December 16, 2025 at 11:17 PM
The BBC messed up by juxtaposing two extracts from different parts of Trump’s Capitol riot speech. But the fact is he did say “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol” and “we fight”. And used the word “fight” multiple times throughout. Mere metaphor? That depends what the rioters thought it meant.
The tide may be ruing… chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2025/12/is-t...
Is the tide turning?
<a rel="me" href="https://mastodon.online/@ChrisGrey">Mastodon</a>
chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com
December 13, 2025 at 12:15 PM
The tide may be ruing… chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2025/12/is-t...
“Plutocracy masquerading as formal democracy”. OK, but Trump and Farage do not even pretend to respect democracy, whatever they may say. De facto, what we have is a proto-fascist plutocracy.
December 12, 2025 at 12:34 PM
“Plutocracy masquerading as formal democracy”. OK, but Trump and Farage do not even pretend to respect democracy, whatever they may say. De facto, what we have is a proto-fascist plutocracy.
Looks like political scientists and the rest of us should be using the term “authoritarian plutocracy”. As linguist and political philosopher Noam Chomsky has said, America is a “Plutocracy masquerading as formal democracy”. Nigel Farage too with his millionaire funders is taking the UK there.
December 12, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Looks like political scientists and the rest of us should be using the term “authoritarian plutocracy”. As linguist and political philosopher Noam Chomsky has said, America is a “Plutocracy masquerading as formal democracy”. Nigel Farage too with his millionaire funders is taking the UK there.
Breaking News: MPs vote to pass our UK-EU Customs Union Bill.
December 10, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Breaking News: MPs vote to pass our UK-EU Customs Union Bill.
The real problem for anyone with mental problems is under diagnosis, very poor provision and huge underfunding.
December 6, 2025 at 12:56 PM
The real problem for anyone with mental problems is under diagnosis, very poor provision and huge underfunding.
Autism has been misdiagnosed till relatively recently or just not recognised. ASD people are often diagnosed as suffering schizophrenia or BPD. Further, many ASD people and people with other mental disorders are incapable of recognising their own neurological condition and refuse diagnosis.
December 6, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Autism has been misdiagnosed till relatively recently or just not recognised. ASD people are often diagnosed as suffering schizophrenia or BPD. Further, many ASD people and people with other mental disorders are incapable of recognising their own neurological condition and refuse diagnosis.
A BBC survey reports one GP saying “Life being stressful is not a disease”. Of course life is not a disease, but today’s societies world-wide, politics, wars, and threats of war, can for many people for many people cause stresses too great for human mental resources to cope with.
December 6, 2025 at 11:31 AM
A BBC survey reports one GP saying “Life being stressful is not a disease”. Of course life is not a disease, but today’s societies world-wide, politics, wars, and threats of war, can for many people for many people cause stresses too great for human mental resources to cope with.
The government’s mental health review is potentially a drift rightwards. Thank goodness the major mental health charities are represented. There’s a risk nonetheless the Trump-admiring anti-woke brigade will seize on “over-diagnosis”. Streeting has given them the opportunity.
opportunity.is
December 6, 2025 at 11:25 AM
The government’s mental health review is potentially a drift rightwards. Thank goodness the major mental health charities are represented. There’s a risk nonetheless the Trump-admiring anti-woke brigade will seize on “over-diagnosis”. Streeting has given them the opportunity.
The BBC cock-up has brought Farage fodder and danger to democracy. That doesn’t alter the FACT that Trump said what he said, near the end of his speech, a punch line that would stick in the minds of violent protesters. That was and is an even bigger danger to democracy.
November 12, 2025 at 9:42 AM
The BBC cock-up has brought Farage fodder and danger to democracy. That doesn’t alter the FACT that Trump said what he said, near the end of his speech, a punch line that would stick in the minds of violent protesters. That was and is an even bigger danger to democracy.
The producers of Panorama fell stupidly into a trap. No scientist, scholar or decent journalist would manipulate text the way they did. The far right agitators that undermine the BBC are delighted. May the rest of us not fall into such traps.
November 11, 2025 at 9:59 AM
The producers of Panorama fell stupidly into a trap. No scientist, scholar or decent journalist would manipulate text the way they did. The far right agitators that undermine the BBC are delighted. May the rest of us not fall into such traps.
… and the threat is not just to academics, of course, but to anyone who thinks and feels critically…
November 4, 2025 at 9:34 AM
… and the threat is not just to academics, of course, but to anyone who thinks and feels critically…
Academics face serious challenges worldwide. What is happening at Sheffield Hallam university is a warning. I think of my colleagues in the US, Russia, and China too. Here in Europe, including the UK we have to face
off far right threats to freedom of thought, science and creativity.
off far right threats to freedom of thought, science and creativity.
November 4, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Academics face serious challenges worldwide. What is happening at Sheffield Hallam university is a warning. I think of my colleagues in the US, Russia, and China too. Here in Europe, including the UK we have to face
off far right threats to freedom of thought, science and creativity.
off far right threats to freedom of thought, science and creativity.
“Once you recognise the way the meaning of these words had been flipped, you see it everywhere.” <[email protected]>
Trump, too, does it all the time… “fascism” is not fascism for him, “democrat” is the opposite, “invasion” is not what you thought. Watch out for flipping fascists in the UK too!
Trump, too, does it all the time… “fascism” is not fascism for him, “democrat” is the opposite, “invasion” is not what you thought. Watch out for flipping fascists in the UK too!
October 11, 2025 at 10:02 AM
“Once you recognise the way the meaning of these words had been flipped, you see it everywhere.” <[email protected]>
Trump, too, does it all the time… “fascism” is not fascism for him, “democrat” is the opposite, “invasion” is not what you thought. Watch out for flipping fascists in the UK too!
Trump, too, does it all the time… “fascism” is not fascism for him, “democrat” is the opposite, “invasion” is not what you thought. Watch out for flipping fascists in the UK too!
Ian Dunt from Striking 13 <[email protected]>
“ Often the simplest and most effective way of parsing a politician’s meaning is to listen to the words coming out of their mouth. “ Yes, and the words they don’t say, literally. Plus implied meanings and dog whistles.
“ Often the simplest and most effective way of parsing a politician’s meaning is to listen to the words coming out of their mouth. “ Yes, and the words they don’t say, literally. Plus implied meanings and dog whistles.
October 11, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Ian Dunt from Striking 13 <[email protected]>
“ Often the simplest and most effective way of parsing a politician’s meaning is to listen to the words coming out of their mouth. “ Yes, and the words they don’t say, literally. Plus implied meanings and dog whistles.
“ Often the simplest and most effective way of parsing a politician’s meaning is to listen to the words coming out of their mouth. “ Yes, and the words they don’t say, literally. Plus implied meanings and dog whistles.
(2) Would-be dictators seek to reverse the values of existing democratic societies. Silencing voices and values they do not like. They use the same phrase “free speech” as democrats do, to subvert what democrats understand by it, and then they suppress the right to challenge that.
October 1, 2025 at 4:18 PM
(2) Would-be dictators seek to reverse the values of existing democratic societies. Silencing voices and values they do not like. They use the same phrase “free speech” as democrats do, to subvert what democrats understand by it, and then they suppress the right to challenge that.
On freedom of speech. (1) Democracy asserts the right to free speech. The first thing dangerous demagogues do is to exploit it, to spread anti-democratic ideology by rhetorical means. Populist rhetoric is never “mere” rhetoric. It works – on the minds and emotions of susceptible people.
September 23, 2025 at 11:30 AM
On freedom of speech. (1) Democracy asserts the right to free speech. The first thing dangerous demagogues do is to exploit it, to spread anti-democratic ideology by rhetorical means. Populist rhetoric is never “mere” rhetoric. It works – on the minds and emotions of susceptible people.
@timothysnyder.bsky.social
Is slavery alive and well in modern America, exploiting a loophole in the 13th Amendment? Historians, please help on this one.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
Is slavery alive and well in modern America, exploiting a loophole in the 13th Amendment? Historians, please help on this one.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
Prison labour: the last stronghold of slavery in the US
Black Americans are disproportionately incarcerated and exploited with prison labour. It’s time to finish abolition
www.opendemocracy.net
September 19, 2025 at 10:10 AM
@timothysnyder.bsky.social
Is slavery alive and well in modern America, exploiting a loophole in the 13th Amendment? Historians, please help on this one.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
Is slavery alive and well in modern America, exploiting a loophole in the 13th Amendment? Historians, please help on this one.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
Today Trump gets a right royal reception in the UK. Meanwhile, back in the US he masterminds the dismantling of democratic institutions, the suppression of liberal organisations, the silencing of dissenting voices.
September 17, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Today Trump gets a right royal reception in the UK. Meanwhile, back in the US he masterminds the dismantling of democratic institutions, the suppression of liberal organisations, the silencing of dissenting voices.
Some commentators are saying half the attendees at Tommy Robinson’s were just people “fed up” not really the far right. This is not the point! Far right demagogues know how to use their rhetoric to radicalise the disgruntled.
September 17, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Some commentators are saying half the attendees at Tommy Robinson’s were just people “fed up” not really the far right. This is not the point! Far right demagogues know how to use their rhetoric to radicalise the disgruntled.