Abstract

On manipulating the meaning of words: the strategy of distorting the meaning of concepts in order to redirect people’s attitudes has been put in practice by ideologists and politicians for years. the paper focuses on the refections of selected thinkers and men of letters on this phenomenon. intellectual contributions of isaiah Berlin, Friedrich a. Hayek, leszek Kołakowski and charles l. stevenson on the one hand, and the considerations of george orwell, aldous Huxley, ayn Rand, sławomir mrożek and małgorzata musierowicz on the other hand are analysed. some recent incarnations of the tactics of perverting the meaning of words in recent political discourse in poland are critically examined. special attention is given to the manipulating the meaning of “paedophilia” in the context of the nationwide discussion on child sexual abuse in the catholic church. it is concluded that the dishonourable practice of verbal misrepresentation used under communism is at work again, this time in even more sophisticated form.