>[!abstract] >Russell conjugation, named after philosopher Bertrand Russell, refers to the phenomenon where words with the same factual meaning carry different emotional or evaluative connotations depending on how they are framed. For example, "I am firm", "you are stubborn", and "he is pig-headed" all describe similar behavior but evoke progressively more negative judgments. This linguistic asymmetry illustrates how language subtly encodes bias and persuasion, shaping perception without altering factual content. Russell conjugation thus highlights the power of word choice in rhetoric, politics, and everyday discourse to influence attitudes under the guise of neutrality. ![[russell+conjugation.png]] >[!related] >- **North** (upstream): [[Rhetoric]] >- **West** (similar): [[Framing effect]] >- **East** (different): [[Neutral description]] >- **South** (downstream): [[Emotive conjugation]]