Russians, resolutions, and the English Language
At least when the enterprise of reputation is concerned, multiple member nations have outed themselves as fine patrons of linguistic subtleties. Feigned or otherwise, this author salutes any who appreciates the importance of words.
A proposed resolution, submitted to the floor by United States submitted to the Security Council floor a proposed resolution that sang sweet siren songs of ceasefire, of an immediate cessation of hostilities; these tender lyrics describe the heartache of a wealthy nation longing to comfort an occupied nation, its civilians being annihilated by its ammunition-flexing ally.
a UNSC Resolutions are definitive. There is no higher body than the global coalition whose singular focus is international peace and security. While all six organs of the UN may issue reccommendations, the decisions made UNSC are binding; every member of the UN is obligated to implement these decisions. The UNSCO is wholle unlike the US House of Representatives, who routinely kick around bills so riduculous that in any other society, they would be satire; a resolution to dissolve Google for blatant political bias is spam filtering; to prevent any governmental entity from breaking an entering an individuals home to seize their stove; a bill to “stop woke”.
Security Council decisions– think mass human trafficking and slavery; nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons; crimes against humanity– require member states to implement actions such as issuing arms embargoes, freezing of assets, travel bans, adoption and enforcement of sanctions. There is no suggestive language. It is not open to interpretation and narrative spin
Which is why it is, in fact, important that the United States has proposed a resolution written with blase language. It reads like a stump speech; dog whistles that sound big and decisive and a sign of honest leadership. Previous resolutions vetoed by the US used verbage such as “demand”, “require”, “commit”. This resolutions says a bunch of great things, like hey waht about an unconditional ceasefire? Wow! Immediate relief to the innocent civilians? Yay! Yet, it is written as an imperative.
With a what?
Imperative;
a. and sb. ‘modus imperativus’.
1. Expressing command : applied to the verbal mood (or any form belonging to it) which expresses a command, request, or exhortation.
1655 WITHER Lord’s Prayer 125. It is usual with the Prophets to express in the Imperative Mod, and by way of Prayer, those Benedictions which God hath decreed and promised to the Righteous.
2. Having the quality or property of commanding ; of the nature of, characterized by, or expressing a command; commanding ; peremptory.
1852 STOWE Uncle Tom’s C. xxxii. 293. A female voice said something in a quick and imperative tone.
1891 Spectator 4 Apr. The work is quite imperative, and its result will be most beneficial.
3. Urgent ; of the nature of a duty.
1633 T. Adams Exp. a Peter iii. 16. There be. such mystical allusions, such majestical imperatives.
What do you think? Your call.
