Manumitting Words

Manumitting Words is an extraordinary literary essay about the power of language and its manipulation for tyrannical purposes. The essay aims to “rescue” five fundamental words from the civil lexicon: shame, justice, rebellion, beauty, and choice.

Words are for communication, for telling stories. But they also have the power to effect very real transformations. If we use them carelessly, unwittingly, or if we manipulate them with devious intent, they lose their meaning. When this happens, words need to be examined and rehabilitated—restored to their original veracity. In this exceptional book, Carofiglio’s analysis—literary, political, and ethical all at once—is illustrated by surprising and intriguing combinations: from Aristotle to Hannah Arendt, Cicero to George Orwell, Dante to Bob Dylan, ancient idioms to the vernacular of contemporary media. “The first revolutionary move is to call things by their real names” said Rosa Luxemburg a century ago. Today, as Carofiglio shows us, rethinking language with this goal in mind requires imagining an entirely new way of life.

Details +

Publication date: 01.10.2010
Publisher: Rizzoli
Number of Pages: 187
Country: Italy

Editions +
La manomissione delle parole Audible
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11 March 2019
La manomissione delle parole Rizzoli - Best BUR
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1 April 2013
La manomissione delle parole Rizzoli - BUR Extra
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1 November 2011
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