Robert H. Thoules, in his book Straight and Crooked Thinking, has

rendered a great service in the cause of truth by exposing some of the

elements of crooked thinking that play a considerable part in controversial

speaking and writing.  In this study we shall follow, fairly closely, the

outline he has given at the end of the book, together with many of his own

The use of emotionally toned words.  We must be

on the look -out for the difference that exists between 'objective' and

'emotional' meanings; if we are not, we are likely, without our knowing it,

to be swayed by prejudice.  Thoules gives the well -known example of the

declension of the word 'firm': I am firm, thou art obstinate, he is pig -

Professor Charlton has rightly pointed out, however, that emotionally

toned words have their proper place, especially in poetry.  Take for example

the lines of Keats from The Eve of St. Agnes:

'Full on the casement shone the wintry moon,

And threw warm gules on Madeline's fair breast'.

Notice the emotional value of the words 'casement', 'gules',

'Madeline', 'fair' and 'breast'.  'Gules' is the name used in heraldry to

signify red.  'Casement' conjures up an element of romance.  Thoules rewrites

the lines, substituting plain words for emotional ones, that we may

appreciate the difference:

'Full on this window shone the wintry moon,

Making red marks on Jane's uncoloured chest'.

In the exposition of Scripture, we must be on our guard against

emotional words, lest the truth suffer in consequence.  Let the reader turn

to the Gospel according to Matthew or Mark, and read the record of the

Crucifixion.  Then let him imagine what a chapter Dickens would have made of

it, and whether it could possibly have been read aloud.

Politics is a fruitful field for the development of emotionally charged

words.  For instance, 'a fluent and forcible speech delivered by one of our

party is eloquent; a similar speech by one of the opposite party is

*

Vain boasting (from the boastful character of Rodomonte, in the

Orlandie Furioso of Aristo).

Ruskin's comment upon Whistler's Nocturnes, provides another example:

'I have heard and seen much of cockney impudence before now, but never

expected to hear a coxcomb ask two hundred guineas for flinging a pot

of paint in the public's face'.

The emotional tone of the words 'cockney', 'coxcomb' and 'flinging a

pot of paint' is very strong; and the passage is utterly unworthy of that

master of good English, and champion of good art, John Ruskin.