In 1984, Newspeak is the language the Party uses to control people. It removes words about freedom, rebellion, and truth so people have fewer ways to question Big Brother.
Definition: Any thought that questions the Party.
How it controls thought: It makes freedom sound wrong or dangerous.
Definition: Changing facts so they match what the Party says.
How it controls thought: It teaches people that truth can be changed.
Definition: Erasing old events from memory or records.
How it controls thought: It makes people unable to prove the Party lied.
Definition: Happiness that comes from obeying the Party.
How it controls thought: It makes obedience seem like the only way to be happy.
Definition: Stopping yourself before questioning the Party.
How it controls thought: It trains people to fear their own thoughts.
Definition: Loving one person more than Big Brother.
How it controls thought: It makes personal love seem selfish or wrong.
Definition: Hatred that supports the Party.
How it controls thought: It makes anger seem patriotic.
Definition: Using only approved Party words.
How it controls thought: It removes complicated ideas from conversation.
Definition: A memory that disagrees with Party history.
How it controls thought: It makes people stop trusting their own memories.
Definition: Being smart only when agreeing with the Party.
How it controls thought: It makes independent thinking seem stupid.
Definition: War that is described as peace.
How it controls thought: It makes people accept violence as normal.
Definition: Looking like you disagree with the Party.
How it controls thought: It makes even facial expressions dangerous.
Definition: A person erased by the Party like they never existed.
How it controls thought: It makes people afraid to remember others.
Definition: The habit of avoiding dangerous thoughts.
How it controls thought: It makes people censor themselves.
Definition: Whatever Big Brother says is true.
How it controls thought: It replaces real evidence with loyalty.
Newspeak shows that language is powerful because it shapes what people are able to think. If people lose words for freedom, truth, and rebellion, those ideas become harder to understand.