What does Orwell imply about the decline of language?

When discussing the decline of language, Orwell is talking about the needless complication of modern English. Orwell feels that a great many modern writers use foreign words and complicated prose for two ends: firstly, to sound impressive and more authoritative to their readership, and secondly, to veil their meanings. Orwell finds that these trends not only kill precise, clear qualities in prose, but also that they can also be used to sinister ends, namely political propaganda.

For example, Orwell is disturbed by the way politicians use archaic terminology when promoting war. Terms like realm, throne, and shield evoke knightly valor, obscuring the violent atrocities and greed often associated with war. He also feels that modern English is used to disguise or brush away the uglier side of political activity, such as concentration camps, colonization, the killing of innocent civilians in wartime, and Stalinist purges.

Though he feels the English language's decline is widespread, Orwell is not entirely a pessimist on the matter. He thinks that the decline of the English language is something that can be stopped if people put forth the effort. For Orwell, it all comes down to thinking clearly and saying what one means without purple prose, stale imagery, or clichés.

Why is Orwell disturbed by what he perceives as the deterioration of the English language?

In his essay "Politics and the English Language," George Orwell feels that political chaos is closely connected to the deterioration of the English language, for political language is designed "to make lies seem truthful, and murder respectable, and to give an air of solidity to pure wind."

Orwell states that if thought can corrupt language, language can also corrupt thought. Inflated style and overuse of idioms make for ambiguous language; many cruel thoughts can be hidden in euphemisms.  Bad usage also contributes to the debasement of the language.  But, Orwell feels the most strongly about politics being the greatest contributor to the deterioration of the English language.  For he contends that most language is political, and, as such, consists of huge lies, and deception through euphemisms and question-bending:

All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred, and schizophrenia.  When the general atmosphere is bad, language must suffer.

Orwell's criticism of bad writing habits which spread by imitation.  He proposes these solutions:

1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or euphemism which you are used to seeing in print
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always do so.
4. Never use the passive voice when you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a jargon word, or a foreign word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. Break any of these words sooner than say anything outright barbarous.