dog whistle

Inaudible canine call

A dog whistle is a small device that produces a high-pitched sound audible to dogs but not to humans, used for training or calling them.

The figurative sense has become more prominent: a dog whistle is coded language or messaging that appears innocuous to most listeners but conveys a specific, often politically charged meaning to a targeted audience.

Critics accused the candidate of using dog whistles to appeal to racist voters without alienating moderates.

The implication is deliberate deniability—like the literal whistle, only those "tuned in" can hear what's really being said.

politics

coded language

Communication using concealed meanings

racismPrejudice based on ethnicity
xenophobiaHatred of outsiders
nativismPreference for native-born citizens

plausible deniability · welfare queen · inner city · illegal alien · tough on crime · identity politics · polarization · scapegoating · fearmongering · marginalize

rhetoric

subtext

Implicit meaning beneath words

innuendoOblique disparaging remark
insinuationIndirect, usually negative suggestion
implicationIndirect suggestion or consequence

coded · veiled · euphemism · allusion · connotation · undertone · hint · suggestion · nuance · implicit

training

recall

Memory retrieval act

commandAuthoritative instruction given
obedienceCompliance with authority
fetchGo get and return

heel · sit · stay · trainer · conditioning · Pavlovian · reinforcement · signal · summon · shepherd

ultrasonic

frequency

Rate of recurrence

pitchFrequency of sound
ultrasoundInaudible high-frequency waves
inaudibleCannot be heard

hertz · kilohertz · high-frequency · sonic · acoustic · hearing range · soundwave · decibel · amplitude · vibration

dog whistle

coded language

subtext

recall

frequency

dog whistle

Opposites

Categories

Family