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dog whistle
[dawg-hwis-uhl, -wis-, dog-]
noun
an ultrasonic whistle, audible to dogs and some other animals but out of the range easily perceptible to the human ear, used by handlers of working dogs and by dog trainers.
Chiefly Politics.a choice of words, coded communication, or other symbolic aspect of self-presentation that is superficially unobjectionable or neutral but conveys a secondary message aimed at those who affiliate with a controversial group or fringe ideology, usually signaling one’s own affinity for such beliefs: The logo on the t-shirt he chose to wear in his profile pic is a neo-Nazi dog whistle.
The candidate used “welfare reform” as a dog whistle appealing to racist voters.
The logo on the t-shirt he chose to wear in his profile pic is a neo-Nazi dog whistle.
dog-whistle
adjective
relating to the targeting of potentially controversial messages to specific voters while avoiding offending those voters with whom the message will not be popular
dog-whistle politics
verb
(intr) to employ this kind of political strategy
Other Word Forms
- dog-whistle adjective
- dog whistling noun
Word History and Origins
Origin of dog whistle1
Word History and Origins
Origin of dog whistle1
Example Sentences
South Africa's ambassador to Washington, Ebrahim Rasool, was also expelled in March after accusing Trump of "mobilising a supremacism" and trying to "project white victimhood as a dog whistle".
In March, South Africa's ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool, was expelled after accusing President Trump of using "white victimhood as a dog whistle", leading to the US accusing Mr Rasool of "race-baiting".
Trump’s move is the latest dog whistle aimed at people who don’t like that the United States ain’t as white as it used to be.
Leader of the House of Commons Lucy Powell has sought to clarify her remarks after she appeared to describe grooming gangs as a "dog whistle" issue, prompting a backlash from political opponents.
Powell responded "oh, we want to blow that little trumpet now do we" and "let's get that dog whistle out shall we".
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When To Use
A dog whistle is a political term about statements that appear innocent to the general public but they actually use subtle, coded language to communicate a secondary message to an intended group.The messages are often racial or bigoted in nature, used to attract certain voters and energize them to vote.
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