Distance language techniques

Have you ever heard of what psychologists call distancing language?

The theory of distancing language, does just that. It creates a distance
between the subject and the situation.

Distance language is phrasing used by the people and overused by the media
to "distance" themselves from a statement, either to avoid thinking about the
subject or to distance themselves from its content.

People use many techniques to "distance" themselves from the truth and this is
especially apparent when someone is attempting to avoid consequences.

IMPORTANT: Distancing language used orally may indicate that a person is

lying.
SEEM / APPEAR
We often use seem and appear to give information without stating that we
definitely know it is true, and in this way distancing ourselves from the
information. We can use It seems / appears + that + clause, or subject +
seem / appear + infinitive.
1.

It seems / appears (that) prices are increasing in Argentina.

2.

The new manager seems / appears to be quite friendly.

3.

There seems to be a mistake with the bill.

We use It would seem / appear + that + clause to distance us even further

from the information, and to make it sound less sure. This is more formal than
It seems / appears...

4.
It would seem / appear (that) my boss Diana Wells had been using the
company's assets to pay off her private debts.
5.

It would seem / appear (that) our manager has been fooling us all.

PASSIVE WITH REPORTING VERBS

Another way of distancing ourselves from the facts, especially in formal written
English, is to use the passive form of verbs like say, think, etc. to introduce
them. We can use three structures:

a) It + passive verb + that + clause.

NOTE: Verbs commonly used in this pattern are: agree, announce, believe,
expect, hope, report, say, suggest, think, and understand.
1.

It is said that reading books increases the knowledge and logic.

2.
It has been announced by OM Personal English that their CPE Proficiency
course will be released this year.

b) subject + passive verb + to + infinitive.

NOTE: Verbs commonly used in this pattern are believe, expect, report, say,
think, and understand.
3.

The company director is expected to resign in the next few days.

4.

They are understood to have been living in Paraguay since 2005.

c) There + passive verb + to + infinitive.

Compare these examples:

It is said that there are more than 800,000 people living in poverty here.
There are said to be more than 800,000 people living in poverty here.

5.

There are thought to be over 1,000 species in danger of extinction.

6.
There are believed to be eleven million undocumented immigrants in the
United States.

MORE DISTANCING: apparently / according to / may / might

We can use apparently (usually either at the beginning or the end of a phrase)
to mean that we have heard / read something, but that it may not be true. This
is very common in informal conversation.
1.

Apparently, Marcos and Dianne have separated.

We can use according to to specify where information has come from. We use it
to attribute opinions to somebody else (NOT According to me ...).
2.
According to the new research, the idea that we have to drink two litres
of water a day is a myth.

Using may / might also suggests that something is a possibility, but not
necessarily true.
3.

Dinosaurs may have died out due to rapid climate change.

4.

There are rumours that this rock band might release a new album.

On the next page you will be able to practise this grammar.

PRACTICE
Distance language
ACTIVITY 156: Choose from the menus the right alternative to complete each
sentence. Then check the correct answers.

1. There are to be many homeless people living on the streets of the capital.

2. It that there is a connection between losing a parent and depression.

3. The President is to announce the date of the General Election early next
week.
4. local residents, the man had always been a little strange.

5. The thieves have been disturbed while they were going through the rooms
upstairs.
6. It would that there is some confusion about our new dress code. Staff are
still turning up in jeans.
7. It is that climate change is one of the greatest dangers facing the planet.

8.

, the footballer was arrested because of an incident at a party last night.

Distance language
ACTIVITY 157: Complete the second sentence so that you "distance yourself"
from the information. Use the correct form of the words in blue capitals. Then
check the correct answers.

1. An employee leaked the information to the press. SAY

an employee leaked the information to the press.

2. Politicians have been falsifying their expenses. APPEAR

Politicians falsifying their expenses.

3. The country's largest bank has gone bankrupt. ANNOUNCE

the country's largest bank has gone bankrupt.

4. The pop star has had another breakdown. THINK

The pop star another breakdown.

5. The accused was under the effect of drugs. MAY

The accused under the effect of drugs.

6. The winner had been chosen before voting commenced. SEEM

the winner had already been chosen before voting commenced.

7. The burglars entered through an open window. MIGHT

The burglars through an open window.

8. The economic situation will recover by next year. HOPE

the economic situation will recover by next year.