kaigou: this is what I do, darling (A1] Edward)
[personal profile] kaigou
Okay, so a "dog-whistle" is the expression for intentional use of a seemingly innocuous word or phrase, that has a double (usually negative/reversed) meaning for a segment of the audience. Is there a word for the unintentional use of a word or phrase that has loaded meaning for a segment of the audience, of which the speaker/writer is unaware?

Frex, if I say, "his economic ideas are a fast track to a green and pleasant land," the use of green and pleasant land is a dog-whistle, to, uhm, anyone who knows their Blake, I guess. (It's an epithet for England.) To the broader audience it sounds positive; to a smaller, in-the-know audience, the combination of "economic" + "england" = "socialism" -- which in the US is currently a Very Dirty Word. It's a way to appear positive (or at least harmless) while signaling a different meaning to a limited part of the audience. [See comments below for alternate/better take on this phrase.]

But what if a segment of the population finds the phrase, hrm, "shades of gray" to be loaded with historical and cultural negativity? If I unintentionally (ignorantly) use this expression such that I create a dual-meaning statement -- one that's positive to the broader audience but potentially negative to a smaller segment, what would this be?

I'm thinking perhaps "land mine".

Granted, if I know of the negative secondary connotations, then I suppose it might be a dog-whistle, but I don't think that really fits -- that expression is most often used to signal to like-minded folks, to draw them closer, like calling in the pack. It's not the same thing when the purpose is to alienate members of the audience. Then it's more like one of those truck deer-whistles that's supposed to warn deer to stay away.

Any ideas? Or is there an existing catchphrase for an reversed dog-whistle? Does that catchphrase imply knowledge even if the speaker denies such (deer-whistle), or does it presume ignorance (land mine)?

Date: 30 Jan 2009 06:20 pm (UTC)
ext_58972: Mad! (Default)
From: [identity profile] autopope.livejournal.com
His use of that word in that speech marked the moment when I -- as a non-American -- realized that there was no longer any room to doubt that he was either a loathsome racist, or terrifyingly incompetent, or both.

Date: 30 Jan 2009 07:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kaigou.livejournal.com
Well, as an American, I think I spent the first few minutes trying to figure out whether it was a quote from the Onion or something because no one in this day and age could be that obtuse (if unintentional) or that freaking offensive if intentional... right? And then I realized and my brain broke some and my heart broke a lot.

It's not an easy thing, to realize your own freaking president could utter words like that. It feels personal, like you're to blame for it, somehow. (Yes, well, partially, yes: but also partially no, because I personally can't control ever blooming word a politician says, none of us can, but still, the guilt/shame does feel personal.)

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kaigou: this is what I do, darling (Default)
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"When you make the finding yourself— even if you're the last person on Earth to see the light— you'll never forget it." —Carl Sagan

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