What we do with photographs, we can do with language. The words, phrases, one-liners or metaphors that we use often lead to an over- or underinterpretation of reality. Have a look at this:

Freedom fighter – Terrorist
Illegal imigrant – Undocumented worker
Climate change – Global warming
Modernisation – Reorganisation
Genetic modification – Genetic manipulation
A critical review – A cynical review
Electromagnetic fields – Electrosmog
Biofuel – EthanolAgain and again, we use different words for the same thing. Take the following example: In 2004, Maria crossed the border into our country illegally. Since then, she has been working in this country, has been promoted twice, and has had two children. How do we describe Maria? We could call her:

‘an undocumented worker’

but also:

‘an illegal immigrant’

If we describe Maria as an undocumented worker, we are emphasising that she is working and contributing to society and the economy. The only thing missing is some documents – that sounds like a bureaucratic issue, which should be possible to resolve. If we refer to her as an illegal immigrant, then we are emphasising that she is illegal – and she should really leave the country.

In the next video we will discuss what the characteristics of a good frame are. Enjoy!