Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Links: The Complete Newspeak Dictionary

The Complete Newspeak Dictionary is a fan website devoted to the novel 1984. The part of the site I've found most helpful is the Newspeak Wiktionary. You can access it via the 1984 - Newspeak Button. Here, you'll find newspeak word definitions:
Bellyfull: Full emotional understanding. Blind, enthusiastic acceptance of a concept.
You'll also find profiles of the characters in 1984 as well as descriptions of the various settings, organizations, and countries mentioned in the book.

Another section worth checking out is the Modern Newspeak section. Here, the website's author/s propose a provocative list of modern-day newspeak equivalents.

FYI: It seems like this website leans a little to the political left (as did George Orwell), so just be aware as you peruse the site that there might be a bit of a bias. Also, keep in mind that the Newspeak Wikitionary, like Wikipedia (which also has some interesting articles on 1984), is a collaborative online resource. There are many authors of varied expertise and opinion, and as we've discovered in our own book discussions, a work of fiction is open to a variety of interpretations--that's what makes it interesting!

However, the overall tone of the The Complete Newspeak Dictionary website is very much in-keeping with the novel and offers some plusgood insights into the world of 1984.

1 comment:

Lori said...

Thanks! I appreciate the support.