Finally, because language circulates through power, it can be warped. Pierre Bourdieu described how "symbolic power" privileges certain speech as legitimate (Language and Symbolic Power, 1991). Meanwhile, euphemism and corporate co-optation drain hard-won terms of force—Orwell warned of this in "Politics and the English Language" (1946). Guardrails help: tie words to stories and accountable practices, publish clear definitions, invite critique from those most affected, and retire phrasing that obscures harm. In this way, the language you live by remains both alive and honest. [...]
