Politics and the English Language
Politics and the English Language by George Orwellby George Orwell
Hacker ApprovedRanked 3 of 60 articles by recommenders
Recommended as a short, sharp essay on clear, precise writing that people find still relevant.
Recommended as a short, sharp essay on clear, precise writing that people find still relevant.
14 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 14
- criticize it
- 0
- approval share
- 100%
Recommended in 5 of 13 months
- November 2025: not recommended
- December 2025: not recommended
- January 2026: recommended
- February 2026: recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: recommended
- August 2026: recommended
- September 2026: recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it carries the badge
- 14 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- Nobody criticizes itNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 5 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Enjoyable, favorite read
“Politics and the English Language is my favorite essay.”
Comment from 4 Jan 2026 in “Language Gives Authority to Weak Ideas” “I find Orwell's English essay one of my favorites.”
Comment from 4 Jan 2026 in “Language Gives Authority to Weak Ideas” “Ah, I just read through it. That’s was a fun read.”
Comment from 6 Sep 2026 in “The revolt of the reader” - Comment from 4 Jan 2026 in “Language Gives Authority to Weak Ideas”
- Comment from 30 Sep 2026 in “Ask HN: What are you reading?”
Worth reading, essential
“Orwell's entire essay (Politics and the English Language) is well worth reading if you haven't before”
Comment from 6 Sep 2026 in “The revolt of the reader” “I would suggest that you take a look at the "Politics and the English Language" essay by Orwell.”
Comment from 3 Jan 2026 in “Loud noises heard in Venezuela capital, southern area without electricity” “I also recommend reading George Orwell's essay Politics and the English Language”
Comment from 3 Feb 2026 in “Deno Sandbox” - Comment from 30 Sep 2026 in “Ask HN: What are you reading?”
Still relevant today
“I find Orwell's essay to still be entirely relevant”
Comment from 27 Jul 2026 in “How to Write English Prose” “it remains highly relevant”
Comment from 23 Sep 2026 in “Abandoning Scientific Linux Was a Mistake” Precise use of language
“Their logical flow is very natural, and his word choices are very precise.”
Comment from 8 Sep 2026 in “The revolt of the reader” “on the importance of precise use of language”
Comment from 25 Aug 2026 in “How I Read Books”
Other articles people recommend
The four most recommended other articles, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Programming as Theory Buildingby Peter Naur | 32 | 0 | 100% | 7 | — | Approved |
| Ur-Fascismby Umberto Eco | 18 | 2 | 90% | 8 | — | Approved |
| Politics and the English Languageby George OrwellThis page | 14 | 0 | 100% | 5 | — | Approved |
| The Grug Brained Developer by Carson Gross | 13 | 1 | 93% | 9 | — | Approved |
| Right to Read by Richard Stallman | 12 | 0 | 100% | 7 | — | Approved |
What people said
15 of the 16 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“it is absolutely essential reading”
“I've been re-reading "Politics and the English Language" about once a month lately.”
“it remains highly relevant”
“Their logical flow is very natural, and his word choices are very precise.”
“Ah, I just read through it. That’s was a fun read.”
“But Orwell's rule 4 should be ignored”
“Orwell's entire essay (Politics and the English Language) is well worth reading if you haven't before”
“on the importance of precise use of language”
“I find Orwell's essay to still be entirely relevant”
“I also recommend reading George Orwell's essay Politics and the English Language”
“The rules in PatEL are not literal laws.”
“I find Orwell's English essay one of my favorites.”
“I just read it and really enjoyed it.”
“Politics and the English Language is my favorite essay.”
“I would suggest that you take a look at the "Politics and the English Language" essay by Orwell.”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.