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<span id="openzim-page-title" class="mw-page-title-main"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Distancing language</span></span>

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<p><b>Distancing language</b> is <a href="Phrase" title="Phrase">phrasing</a> used by a person to psychologically "distance" themselves from a statement. It is used in an effort to separate a particular topic, idea, discussion, or group from their own personal identity for the purpose of <a href="Self-deception" title="Self-deception">self-deception</a>, <a href="Deception" title="Deception">deceiving others</a>, or disunifying oneself from a team, among others.<sup id="cite_ref-:2_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:2-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-:0_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The use of distancing language is primarily <a href="Subconscious" title="Subconscious">subconscious</a> as a means to disengage oneself from acts or ideas that conflict with their personal values, beliefs, and ideals, and is often used to identify if a person is <a href="Lie" title="Lie">lying</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-:1_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:1-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-:4_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:4-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Conscious uses of distancing language are often <a href="Euphemism" title="Euphemism">euphemistic</a> in nature in order to downplay or desensitize a <a href="Loaded_language" title="Loaded language">loaded topic</a> in an effort to separate the speaker from the subject at hand. <sup id="cite_ref-:5_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:5-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Common_practices_of_distancing_language">Common practices of distancing language</h2></div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Avoiding_first-person_pronouns">Avoiding first-person pronouns</h3></div>

<p>The use of first-person pronouns as a singular ("I", "me", "my", "myself"), and as a plural ("we", "us", "our", "ourselves") indicates a psychological closeness between the speaker and the topic of discussion. Omitting first-person pronouns suggests the absence of responsibility and identification of the ideas conveyed in the statement.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_2-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-:1_3-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:1-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id=""You"_as_a_third-person_pronoun">"You" as a third-person pronoun</h4></div>

<p>In the English language, the pronoun "you" can be used as an appropriate use of distancing language in a universal context, where the statements are intended to be applied to anyone in the general public (e.g. the statement "You should never drink and drive" pertains to anyone who drives).<sup id="cite_ref-:3_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:3-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Consequently, “you” is a common replacement for a first-person pronoun, often to hint at one’s lack of commitment to or interest in a group or organization.<sup id="cite_ref-:2_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:2-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<ul><li>When suggesting ways to increase traffic to an organization's information booth at a <a href="Fair" title="Fair">fair</a>, a group member says, "<i>You</i>'ll get the attention of more people if <i>you</i> play upbeat music." The alternative phrasing, "<i>We</i>'ll get the attention of more people if <i>we</i> play upbeat music" suggests the speaker identifies with the organization, accepting the shared task of garnering attention to the organization's booth.</li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Passive_voicing">Passive voicing</h4></div>

<p>The use of a <a href="Passive_voice" title="Passive voice">passive voice</a> allows for the omission of identity or ownership, since the nature of a passive voice is that an action is done to an object, and the action's agent is not necessary.<sup id="cite_ref-:3_7-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:3-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<ul><li>A restaurant server tells a customer that "A mistake was made on your order" instead of "I made a mistake on your order" as a way of avoiding ownership.</li></ul>

<p><a href="Demonstrative" title="Demonstrative">Demonstrative determiners</a> such as “that” and “those” illustrate a physical or psychological distance between the object and the speaker. The demonstratives “this” and “these” refer to an object that is close to the speaker.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<ul><li>A business owner says, "I did not come up with <i>those</i> ideas", after his business proposal was rejected by investors.</li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Deflecting,_minimizing,_omission_of_detail">Deflecting, minimizing, omission of detail</h3></div>

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</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="Circumlocution" title="Circumlocution">Circumlocution</a>, <a href="Minimisation_(psychology)" title="Minimisation (psychology)">Minimisation (psychology)</a>, and <a href="Elegant_variation" title="Elegant variation">Elegant variation</a></div>

<p>Avoiding straight-forward statements is common in deception, either to another person or in self-deception, in order to avoid details that might signify ownership or personal knowledge of the topic. This is accomplished through statements that deflect the topic or that minimize the importance and impact of the topic; alternatively, the speaker can keep statements vague or use <a href="Hedge_(linguistics)" title="Hedge (linguistics)">hedge words</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-:1_3-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:1-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-:4_4-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:4-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<ul><li>When a man is asked about his ex-girlfriend's <a href="Infidelity" title="Infidelity">infidelity</a>, he shrugs and says, "I guess I should've seen it coming. We were fighting all the time at that point anyway, so we were probably going to break up sooner rather than later."</li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Euphemisms">Euphemisms</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="Metaphor" title="Metaphor">Metaphor</a></div><p><a href="Euphemism" title="Euphemism">Euphemisms</a> are used as a means of minimizing <a href="Negative_affectivity" title="Negative affectivity">negative emotions</a> that the statement may elicit (either from the speaker or others), in order to make the speaker appear unaffected and the situation impersonal.<sup id="cite_ref-:5_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:5-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><ul><li><a href="Military_personnel" title="Military personnel">Military personnel</a> may use a range of distancing terms for <a href="Combatants" class="mw-redirect" title="Combatants">combatants</a> either killing or getting killed. They may also employ distancing, dehumanizing terms for enemy combatants. "<a href="Collateral_damage" title="Collateral damage">Collateral damage</a>" for the incidental or accidental killing of <a href="Non-combatants" class="mw-redirect" title="Non-combatants">non-combatants</a> during attacks on <a href="Legitimate_military_target" title="Legitimate military target">legitimate military targets</a> is an example.</li></ul>

<ul><li><a href="Political_correctness" title="Political correctness">Political correctness</a></li>

<li><a href="Polite_fiction" title="Polite fiction">Polite fiction</a></li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2></div>

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</style><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://nonprofitaf.com/2014/01/distancing-language-what-it-is-and-why-you-must-crush-it/">"Distancing language, what it is, and why you must crush it"</a>. <i>Nonprofit AF</i>. 2014-01-13<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2018-11-26</span></span>.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-:0-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:0_2-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:0_2-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:0_2-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://yousimplybetter.com/practical-communication-tools-distancing-language/">"Practical Communication Tools: Distancing Language | You Simply Better"</a>. <i>yousimplybetter.com</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2018-11-26</span></span>.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-:1-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:1_3-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:1_3-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:1_3-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/minds-business/to-spot-a-liar-listen-closely.html">"To Spot a Liar, Listen Closely"</a>. <i>Association for Psychological Science</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2018-11-26</span></span>.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-:4-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:4_4-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:4_4-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/10/final-debate-2016-lying-politicians-214370/">"How to Tell When Trump and Clinton Are Lying Tonight"</a>. <i>POLITICO Magazine</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2018-11-27</span></span>.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-:5-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:5_5-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:5_5-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFPeters" class="citation web cs1">Peters, Mark. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181230221842/http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20170126-the-hidden-danger-of-euphemisms">"The hidden danger of euphemisms"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20170126-the-hidden-danger-of-euphemisms">the original</a> on 2018-12-30<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2018-11-26</span></span>.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFSocialigence2016" class="citation cs2">Socialigence (2016-10-08), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0rNNcwIPRk"><i>Distancing Language | Verbal Clues to Deception: 4.2</i></a><span class="reference-accessdate">, retrieved <span class="nowrap">2018-11-27</span></span></cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-:3-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:3_7-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:3_7-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFHyatt2015" class="citation web cs1">Hyatt, Peter (2015-07-15). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://statement-analysis.blogspot.com/2015/07/distancing-language-and-sexual-assault.html">"Statement Analysis ®: Distancing Language and Sexual Assault"</a>. <i>Statement Analysis ®</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2018-11-27</span></span>.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.clarkandmiller.com/25-english-euphemisms-for-delicate-situations/">"25 Common English Euphemisms | Clark and Miller"</a>. <i>Clark and Miller</i>. 2017-09-01<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2018-11-27</span></span>.</cite></span>

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