Precision of Language

Throughout the dystopian novel The Giver there is a heavy emphasis among the community on the importance of “precision of language”, which is one of the major ironies of the novel. In their effort to promote clear communication of ideas the community initially appears to share the same values as your typical ELA teacher. I recall my Shakespeare professor once chiding me for being too wordy and advised me to be more sparse yet precise in my use of language. However, the precision of language valued by the community is an effort to maintain order and what they refer to as “sameness”. The society of the story’s protagonist Jonas is extremely strict and highly controlled with rules that govern all aspects of life including the use of speech. This Orwellian world is reminiscent of the dystopian classic 1984 with the fictional language known as “newspeak” similarly controlled by the state. Both “newspeak” and “precision of language” share similar aims and characteristics which include elimination of concepts like individualism and a more simplified vocabulary and grammar. The tension that the precision of language creates is exemplified in the opening of the novel when Jonas tries to find the correct word to describe his emotions as he approaches the Ceremony of Twelve. This is an important moment in the lives of children in the community who will be assigned a career and begin their lives as adults. Jonas colors the opening with a somber tone by describing his feeling as “frightened” but quickly rejects the word as incorrect in favor of the word “apprehensive”. The community also makes use of euphemisms to describe the killing of the infirm or euthanasia using the word “release” to deceptively disguise the real meaning. The use of the word “release” has a much softer connotation than the actual act of violence that it really is – the words “killing” or “murder” are more accurate descriptions. The novel The Giver is an excellent reading for a middle school ELA class as it provides the perfect segue into a discussion on the importance of precision of language. The use of language is tied directly to our description of emotions that the omission of a particular word can result in the omission of the emotion. This is best exemplified in The Giver when Jonas is ridiculed by his parents for asking if they love him to which they respond by saying the word is too general and therefore meaningless. The omission of a single word by the community has resulted in the loss of this emotion by his parents. The concept of precision of language can be carried over into writing which is skill that needs attention, especially by teens who are known for their redundancy and overuse of certain adjectives and verbs.