emotive
Meaning: Arousing or intended to arouse strong feelings; relating to or characterised by intense emotion rather than rational analysis.
Emotive is a key word in debates about the boundary between reason and feeling. In British English, it is distinct from 'emotional' — 'emotive' typically describes the thing that provokes emotion (an emotive issue, emotive language), whereas 'emotional' describes the person experiencing it (an emotional response). The word often carries a mild note of warning: calling an issue 'emotive' implies that feelings may cloud judgement. In philosophy, the 'emotive theory of ethics' holds that moral statements express attitudes rather than facts. It collocates with 'emotive issue,' 'emotive language,' 'highly emotive,' and 'emotive subject.'
Examples
- Immigration remains one of the most emotive issues in British politics, provoking passionate debate on all sides. 移民问题仍然是英国政治中最容易引发情感争论的话题之一,各方都展开了激烈辩论。La inmigración sigue siendo una de las cuestiones más emotivas de la política británica, provocando debates apasionados en todos los bandos.移民問題はイギリス政治において最も感情的な争点の一つであり続け、あらゆる立場から激しい議論を引き起こしている。이민 문제는 영국 정치에서 가장 감정적인 쟁점 중 하나로 남아 있으며, 모든 진영에서 열띤 논쟁을 불러일으킨다.
- The barrister warned the jury against being swayed by the prosecution's emotive language rather than the evidence. 辩护律师警告陪审团不要被控方煽情的语言所左右,而应关注证据本身。El abogado advirtió al jurado de que no se dejase influir por el lenguaje emotivo de la acusación en lugar de por las pruebas.弁護士は陪審員に対し、証拠ではなく検察側の感情に訴える言葉に惑わされないよう警告した。변호사는 배심원단에게 증거가 아닌 검찰 측의 감정에 호소하는 언어에 휘둘리지 말 것을 경고했다.
- The charity's campaign used emotive imagery of starving children, drawing both donations and accusations of emotional manipulation. 该慈善机构的宣传活动使用了饥饿儿童的感染力极强的画面,既吸引了捐款,也招致了情感操纵的指责。La campaña de la organización benéfica empleó imágenes emotivas de niños hambrientos, generando tanto donaciones como acusaciones de manipulación emocional.その慈善団体のキャンペーンは飢えた子どもたちの感情に訴える映像を使い、寄付を集める一方で感情操作との非難も受けた。그 자선단체의 캠페인은 굶주린 아이들의 감정에 호소하는 이미지를 사용하여 기부금을 모으는 동시에 감정적 조작이라는 비난도 받았다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: media, political, academic, cultural
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Latin emotus, past participle of emovere meaning 'to move out, stir up,' from ex- (out) and movere (to move). The English adjective emerged in the mid-18th century.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
More From This Topic
More from General Advanced
Flashcards, quizzes, audio pronunciation & spaced repetition — all free