Introduction 3 chapter chapter I fictional languages in the context of modern reality 5

2.2. General characteristics of "newspeak"

The emergence of "newspeak" is due to both linguistic and literary factors. "Newspeak" contains all the shortcomings and least attractive features of English grammar and vocabulary that have appeared in the English language in recent decades, according to J. Orwell. The author argued that supporters of totalitarian regimes deliberately pursue a policy of simplifying the language in order to limit the thought process, narrow the scope of consciousness, and force citizens to think in the “right” direction. “One gets the feeling that one of the goals of totalitarianism is not only to make people think
"right" but also in depriving them of their sanity" ( Orwell , 1957: 214).
Fictional precursor languages from the novels of E. Zamyatin, G. Wells, and O. Huxley served as a kind of basis for Newspeak, so they have some similarities. The idea of control over the thoughts of citizens by the state of G. Wells, the tendency to empty talk and bureaucratization of the language of O. Huxley, the idea of rationalization and simplification of the language of E. Zamyatin - all this J. Orwell combined in his fictional language.
The English language organically implements the style of newspaper headlines, which Orwell called as " the language of lyrics poetry , and also of headlines '" (language of lyric poetry and headlines) ( Bolton , 1984:155). Newspeak incorporated many elements of this style: elliptical constructions with the omission of most prepositions, pronouns and connecting words, conversion, and the absence of an article.
Some researchers, including W. F. Bolton , note that "Newspeak" has the characteristic features of the initial level of language learning: its syntax, primitive vocabulary and regularity of grammatical forms.
The focus of linguistic research in the first half of the XX century. was the study of the links between language and thinking, language and culture. Myra Barnes _ Barnes ), speaking about the role of language in the imagery of science fiction and fantasy , writes that all dystopian languages go back to Whorf's theory ( Booker , 1994: 81). Thus, Sapir and Whorf's "Theory of Linguistic Relativity", according to which "grammatical categories and vocabulary of a language determine the thinking of an individual using this language" was reflected in the "newspeak" of J. Orwell (Kuznetsov, 1994: 244). Myra Barnes notes that since control of language is established to control reality, all dystopian languages try to control thought to some degree. “Our perception of the world, including what we see and hear, is determined mainly by the linguistic traditions of our community, which dictate our choice of interpretation” ( Booker , 1994: 81).
Newspeak is not the result of the development of the English language, but primarily a fictional language based on English. There is no mention throughout the novel that "newspeak" is derived from " oldspeak ". The author emphasizes that Newspeak is an artificial language, a product of the Party's activities, and this product was not popular among the inhabitants of Oceania, although it had the status of an official language.
Thus, Newspeak has absorbed the characteristics of fictional languages created by the authors of previous anti-utopias. In addition, research in the field of linguistics of the 20th century, in particular the study of the relationship between language and thinking, was reflected in the structure of Newspeak. J. Orwell's personal journalistic experience influenced the brevity and abruptness of this language.