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Chinese Whispers is a spoken language game where a phrase is whispered from person to person until it is spoken aloud again, often distorted. As an idiom, it refers to unreliable communication leading to questionable information. It is sometimes used to describe irresponsibly sourced news. Its origin is uncertain, but it may relate to linguistic differences between English and Chinese. The game is used to illustrate language misunderstanding and communication. There is no competition or winner, and the primary focus is entertainment or education.
Chinese Whispers is a spoken language parlor game and an English idiom. The game is played by whispering a specific phrase from person to person until everyone has said it softly, at which point the phrase is spoken aloud again. This often reveals a distorted and amusing version of the original sentence. As an idiom, its meaning comes from play.
The idiomatic expression “Chinese whispers” refers to any story or news story that has been unreliably communicated by word of mouth among many people, leading to questionable information or a distorted account of the original story. The use of this expression is more common in British English. Close synonyms include ‘hearsay’, ‘rumors’ and ‘gossip’, but with the further implication of a long chain of communication leading to miscommunication.
When used to describe the news, “Chinese whispers” imply irresponsibility on the part of those delivering the message. It could also involve an impulsive release of unsubstantiated information relating to a breakup story. “Chinese whispers” is sometimes used as an expression in the media to refer to news that is irresponsibly sourced or inaccurately reported.
The etymology or origin of the term “Chinese whispers” is uncertain, but it is widely suspected that it is related to an analogy regarding the large linguistic differences between English and Chinese. What is implied is that a phrase used in the game will eventually become as alien to its original English meaning as something spoken in Chinese. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the game has also been called Russian gossip or Russian scandal.
Other names for the game include telephone, whispering down the lane, voices, and passing the message. The game is sometimes played at children’s parties or used as a classroom lesson to illustrate points about language misunderstanding, the nature of communication, or the malleability of language. Distorting whispered sentences from ear to ear works best when elements of the language can easily be mistaken for something else, so some expressions work better than others.
During the game, participants are often encouraged to whisper sentences at a speed approaching the speed of normal speech. Participants could also be encouraged not to try too hard to enunciate or speak clearly. By doing this, any natural flaws related to normal conversation patterns will be communicated, leading to miscommunication. Willingly changing the phrase is against the rules because it undermines the game. There is no competition or winner; the primary focus is entertainment or, in some cases, education.
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