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Newspeak is deliberately obscure language designed to confuse or deceive. The term originates from George Orwellβs 1949 novel 1984, where it describes a fabricated tongue intentionally engineered to restrict thought and cognitive ability. Orwellβs system worked by altering existing words, substituting terms, rearranging parts of speech, and inventing new political vocabulary. In his world, those in power favoured this language precisely because it limited what people could think.
Today, newspeak describes any confusing or deliberately misleading bureaucratic language. Corporate jargon is a prime example: it obscures meaning through complexity, serves the interests of those who wield it, and leaves others confused. It is, in essence, dishonest.
The solution is simple. Designers, engineers, and all workers should avoid confusing language by doing three things: say something that matters, speak clearly and honestly, and prove their points through their work.