A speaker who argues that all Americans should support freedom, but never really defines what he or she means, is capitalizing on the ambiguity of language, also known as:
A) Composition and division
B) Red herring
C) Equivocation
D) Hasty generalization

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Equivocation is when a speaker or writer deliberately uses ambiguous language in order to confuse or mislead their audience. In this case, the speaker is not defining what they mean by "freedom" in order to make it seem like everyone should be in support of it, but the lack of a clear definition allows them to continue using the word in ways that may not align with everyone's understanding of it.

A Speaker Who Argues That All Americans Should Support Freedom