Weasel Words

The peculiar eating habits of weasels (similar to those of the mongoose in the image above) are the inspiration for the name of this manipulative communication strategy.

When feeding on eggs they have scavenged, weasels bore a tiny hole in the shell and suck out the egg's contents, leaving the shell for the most part intact. As such, the exterior of the egg looks fine even though the interior is gone.

Applied to communication, the analogy works like this: weasel words are words in a sentence that at first appear meaningful (their shell is intact) but are soon discovered to be empty (there is no substance) when we examine them more closely. The term applies especially when the intention is to deceive the audience—not that that's what weasels themselves are planning.

Here are four weasel words types that can help us notice them in everyday life.

1. Imprecise, but positive sounding terminology

Imprecise or vague terminology can be used to make something sound reliable or efficient through positive connotations. Critical thinkers notice such words, however, and rightly question the validity of the claim being made since there is a lack of depth or precision. While adjectives and adverbs are often used this way, verbs and nouns can also do the trick.

Here are three examples. Click each one for an explanation.

Leaves dishes virtually spotless.
A quick read makes the buyer think about the quality of the dishwashing liquid, nothing more. However, a more thorough read makes us realize that the liquid will not remove all spots, as “virtually” is in the same ballpark as “almost”. But “Leaves dishes ALMOST spotless” would not be as good a slogan, would it?
Helps control dandruff symptoms with regular use.
A quick read convinces the buyer that this dandruff shampoo will do the job. However, a more careful consumer will notice that the shampoo can only “help control” (not eradicate) “symptoms” (not actual dandruff) through “regular” use (with the bottle unclear about how often you have to wash your hair for your usage to be “regular”). The juxtaposition of so many imprecise, but positive sounding terms makes this a quite weasel-y claim.
Our protein shake helps build strong bodies 12 ways.
The number 12 is clearly meant to impress the buyer. An examination of the rest of the package reveals, however, that these twelve ways aren’t even listed. “Helps” and “strong” are also imprecise but positive sounding, giving resonance to the health boosting claim.

2. Incomplete, but superior sounding comparisons

An incomplete comparison is meant to make something appear more valuable than something else, often while never revealing what that "something else" is. These sentences often hide unsubstantiated or unproven claims. Critical thinkers question them before reaching a decision.

Here are three examples. Click each one for an explanation.

Magnavox gives you more.
More of what exactly? This old slogan’s goal was obviously to sell televisions without offering specifics about what made Magnavox TVs better than other TVs. Unimpressed by the attempt to sound better than the rest, an astute buyer goes beyond this boastful claim before making a purchasing decision.
Audi is like nobody else's car.
The company wants to be labeled as high end and unique. The problem here is that there’s nothing to quantify or measure based on this claim. Isn’t every car different in some way? The customer deserves to know why exactly this company’s product is so special.
Only half the price of many phones.
The goal here is to show how inexpensive the phone is. However, since the company doesn’t mention which competing phones are being compared and “many” is imprecise (At what point does some become many?), the claim isn’t worth much. A consumer thinking critically will soon realize that you can be less than half the price of some phones but still be more expensive than most phones.

3. Impressive, scientific sounding claims

This is the language equivalent of a YouTube ad where, instead of having a real doctor and giving their name, an actor wears a white smock to make it look like they're a doctor. What language creates this effect? Think of scientific sounding terms and statistics that can't be verified or disputed by common folk for a variety of reasons, including lack of time, study, or available knowledge. The ad's goal is to make a strong first impression that reassures consumers, especially in a moment of impulse shopping.

Here are three examples. Click each one for an explanation.

Sinarest. Created by a research scientist who actually gets sinus headaches.
The “research scientist” who gets the headaches isn’t named, which is definitely questionable when trying to sound more reliable. A sharp thinking consumer also knows that all pharmaceutical products are created by research scientists anyway—and that sinus headaches are common.
ESSO gasoline: now with HTA.
This scientific product reference, made with no explanation about how HTA makes gas better and what HTA even is, is simply a marketing tool to impress the consumer.
Frosted Mini Wheats will improve children's attentiveness by 20%.
Measuring attentiveness is a complex process that can’t be summarized on a cereal box. The buyer is invited to trust the company even though their claim isn’t backed by research. This claim actually put the cereal maker in hot water and they had to change their language because they couldn’t prove its veracity.

4. FOMO and WIIFM: Pointing directly at the audience

Instead of trying to convince by mentioning strong points, the strategy here is to involve the audience itself. This can be done through flattery and how good that makes us feel, or other emotions associated with inadequacy or a willingness to enjoy oneself. FOMO (fear of missing out) and WIIFM (What’s in it for me?) are acronyms that help us remember what often underpins this type of weasel-y communication strategy.

Here are three examples. Click each one for an explanation.

Eukanuba dog food can extend your dog's lifespan by 30%.
Pulling at an audience’s heart strings, even more so when referring directly to our pets (not someone else’s dog), is a clear appeal to emotions. A technique that is even more weasel-y when it is paired with a scientific sounding claim (“by 30%”) that is not supported by research.
You only have 6 days left to save!
It’s a very common way for websites and apps to involve their audience nowadays. The urgency is heightened by referring to the audience directly: “YOU only have 6 days left”. Who, me? Really? Just 6 days? Yikes!
You can cancel later, so lock in this great price today!
Here again the use of “you” forces the reader to pay attention, and the rest of the sentence is a classic FOMO. Don’t miss out on this great price or you’ll regret it! The thing is, if you haven’t done some comparative research yet, you have no idea if it’s a truly “great price”. A skeptical consumer will compare sources and offers before making a decision.

Author credit: The content on this page is from Martin Thibault at Collège Ahuntsic and is used with his permission.

Photo credit: "Banded mongoose eating egg" by flowcomm is licensed under CC BY 2.0.