Talk a Lot Intermediate Book 1 Why Use Politically Correct Language? For more fun worksheets, games, and quizzes log onto www.englishbanana.com now! Talk a Lot Intermediate Book 1 © English Banana.com Introduction Political correctness (PC) is an unofficial movement that rose to prominence in the 1980s and early ’90s. Its aim is to promote equality in society and reduce discrimination towards people belonging to different groups. Among its various activities that aim to influence society and government, one of its strategies is to make taboo forms of language that potentially cause offence among – generally-speaking – minority groups, on the grounds of: appearance ability age gender race religion sexuality status other reasons In short, politically correct language means words and phrases that we use instead of potentially derogatory or insulting language, to talk about something negative without causing offence. It is connected with euphemism, which can be defined as: “A phrase that implies something different from the literal meaning of what is said, particularly when talking about subjects that are offensive or taboo.” Example: John is Ellen’s boyfriend, but she introduces him to her parents as “A close friend”, because she doesn’t want them to know how serious their relationship is. There are two kinds of politically correct language: 1. Extreme Politically Correct Language: phrases that we don’t use very often in everyday life, because they seem too extreme or sound silly • e.g. “My little Billy isn’t fat, he’s just big-boned.” Aim: to try to see something positive in something negative. But taken to extremes political correctness can become a bit of a joke, e.g. Bernard Right-On, a politically correct alternative comedian, performed by John Thomson. Here’s one of his PC jokes: “There’s a black feller, a Pakistani and a Jew in a nightclub having a drink. [Pause] What a fine example of an integrated community.” It’s funny because it contradicts our expectations. After the first sentence we expect the comedian to be offensive about each person in the joke. 2. Everyday Politically Correct Language: phrases that we do need to use in everyday life, to avoid offending or stigmatising other people, especially people who belong to minority groups. • e.g. “We’re planning a special lunch for senior citizens next week.” [not for old people] More respectful or neutral phrases replace blunter, more potentially insensitive or offensive language. For example, politicians are keen to use inclusive PC language. Another example of required politically correct language is gender-neutral terms, e.g. “police officer” not “policeman”, to reflect changes in our workforce and culture. Talk a Lot Intermediate Book 1 Why Use Politically Correct Language? For more fun worksheets, games, and quizzes log onto www.englishbanana.com now! Talk a Lot Intermediate Book 1 © English Banana.com 1. Extreme politically correct language Let’s imagine two different situations: Situation 1 You start a new job in a large office. The person showing you round describes some of the members of staff using the following politically correct language. Match each PC phrase with one of the franker meanings: a) deaf b) ugly c) drunk d) old e) fat f) ignorant 1. Paul isn’t __________, he’s just rather factually unencumbered. 2. Jean over there isn’t __________, she’s just horizontally enabled. 3. As you can see, Brioney is __________, but we prefer to say aurally inconvenienced. 4. Tina is almost sixty-six, but we don’t call her __________; rather chronologically gifted. 5. Tommy works hard but has the tendency to get __________; or as we like to put it, overserved every now and again. 6. One might devise some cruel nicknames for Maggie, but I prefer to think of her as visually challenging, and not __________. Situation 2 Your job doesn’t work out and after about six months you begin a new job at a furniture store. The person showing you round describes a few of the people who work there using the following quite direct and insensitive language. You are so used to PC language by now that you try to correct your new colleague, using one of the following PC phrases in each case: a) terminally inconvenienced b) an individual with temporarily unmet objectives c) residentially flexible d) motivationally deficient e) potentially good f) involuntarily leisured 1. When you say that Jonathan is lazy, do you mean __________? 2. I prefer to think of your former colleague Mr. Hoskins as __________, rather than dead. 3. Instead of labelling your boss a failure, you should say that he’s __________. 4. I’m sorry but calling that person who asked you for change a bum isn’t very kind. Could you perhaps refer to him as __________ instead? 5. I believe that instead of considering Larry pure evil we should think of him as __________. 6. No, I wasn’t unemployed for two months. I was simply __________. Talk a Lot Intermediate Book 1 Why Use Politically Correct Language? For more fun worksheets, games, and quizzes log onto www.englishbanana.com now! Talk a Lot Intermediate Book 1 © English Banana.com Here is a selection of politically correct phrases that we don’t use very often, apart from to make jokes and perhaps poke fun at the politically correct movement – and provide examples of “political correctness gone mad!” – i.e. when the politically correct movement goes against our better judgement or general common sense: ABILITY Blunt /Frank /Direct Language: PC Phrases that are Too Extreme: blind visually challenged deaf visually orientated deaf aurally inconvenienced ignorant factually unencumbered stupid differently wise incompetent differently qualified insane person mental explorer crazy /nuts emotionally different handicapped handicapable drunk over-served AGE Blunt /Frank /Direct Language: PC Phrases that are Too Extreme: old chronologically gifted old chronologically challenged old experientially enhanced false teeth alternative dentation APPEARANCE Blunt /Frank /Direct Language: PC Phrases that are Too Extreme: fat differently sized fat horizontally enabled fat person /fatty person of substance fat person /fatty person with an alternative body image ugly cosmetically different ugly facially challenged ugly visually challenging bald hair disadvantaged bald follically challenged short vertically challenged large nosed nasally gifted CRIME Blunt /Frank /Direct Language: PC Phrases that are Too Extreme: criminal morally challenged criminal behaviourally challenged prisoner resident at Her Majesty’s pleasure DEATH Blunt /Frank /Direct Language: PC Phrases that are Too Extreme: dead metabolically challenged dead biologically challenged dead terminally inconvenienced Talk a Lot Intermediate Book 1 Why Use Politically Correct Language? 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Talk a Lot Intermediate Book 1 © English Banana.com FAILURE Blunt /Frank /Direct Language: PC Phrases that are Too Extreme: to fail to achieve a deficiency failure deferred success a failure (thing) an incomplete success a failure (person) an individual with temporarily unmet objectives wrong differently logical mistake inoperative statement GENDER Blunt /Frank /Direct Language: PC Phrases that are Too Extreme: housewife domestic engineer /artist Manchester Personchester HOMELESSNESS Blunt /Frank /Direct Language: PC Phrases that are Too Extreme: homeless (adj) involuntarily undomiciled homelessness mortgage-free living homeless person /bum involuntarily domiciled homeless person /bum outdoor urban dweller homeless person /bum residentially flexible PERSONALITY Blunt /Frank /Direct Language: PC Phrases that are Too Extreme: liar differently honest clumsy uniquely coordinated lazy motivationally deficient boring differently interesting evil morally different evil potentially good RACE Blunt /Frank /Direct Language: PC Phrases that are Too Extreme: baa baa black sheep… baa baa green sheep… (children’s nursery rhyme) STATUS Blunt /Frank /Direct Language: PC Phrases that are Too Extreme: geek /nerd socially challenged ghetto ethnically homogenous area UNEMPLOYMENT Blunt /Frank /Direct Language: PC Phrases that are Too Extreme: redundancy career change opportunity unemployed indefinitely idled unemployed involuntarily leisured unemployed engaged in an orderly transition between career changes Talk a Lot Intermediate Book 1 Why Use Politically Correct Language? 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Everyday Politically Correct Language Here is a selection of common politically correct phrases that we have accepted into our everyday vocabulary, and that we use to replace language that might cause offence or even incite hatred towards other people, especially members of minority groups: APPEARANCE Don’t say: Say instead: fat /obese overweight /big /has puppy fat ABILITY Don’t say: Say instead: handicapped people /the disabled disabled people /differently abled people disability ability educationally subnormal /simple /person with learning difficulties or special needs stupid /dumb the mentally handicapped /mentally ill people /individual with a mental illness retarded person /crazy guy /madman deaf hearing impaired blind visually impaired half blind partially sighted midgets /dwarves little people gifted child advanced learner AGE Don’t say: Say instead: old person senior citizen child /kid young person GENDER Don’t say: Say instead: girls (about women) women Miss /Mrs Ms the little woman /the wife /’er indoors /my wife /life partner the old ball and chain housewife homemaker policeman police officer postman postal worker steward /-ess flight attendant manageress /actress manager /actor barmaid /-man bar assistant fireman firefighter chairman chair mankind humankind manhole hole manpower human resources right-hand man chief assistant Talk a Lot Intermediate Book 1 Why Use Politically Correct Language? 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Talk a Lot Intermediate Book 1 © English Banana.com RACE Don’t say: Say instead: American Indians Native Americans Canadian Indians First Nation People blacks /coloureds African American /black people /person of colour /ethnic minorities Aborigines Aboriginal Australians /Australian Aboriginal person whites Caucasian half-caste mixed race blacklisted banned black sheep of the family outsider, pariah RELIGION Don’t say: Say instead: Christmas holiday /Winter Festival /Winterval SEXUALITY Don’t say: Say instead: gays gay people sex change gender reassignment promiscuous sexually active STATUS Don’t say: Say instead: drug addict person in recovery /person with a chemical dependency bum homeless person refugee asylum seeker trailer park mobile home community broken home dysfunctional family OTHER NEGATIVE THINGS Don’t say: Say instead: used /second-hand recycled worst least best mistake learning experience immature childlike to lie to be creative with the truth /-with the facts politically correct culturally sensitive Further study: • Consider politically correct language and behaviour in your culture. How politically correct are you /is your school or workplace? • Examine the language in “extreme” politically correct phrases, and try to build your own: Talk a Lot Intermediate Book 1 Why Use Politically Correct Language? For more fun worksheets, games, and quizzes log onto www.englishbanana.com now! Talk a Lot Intermediate Book 1 © English Banana.com A typical “extreme” PC phrase consists of: • an adverb of viewpoint (e.g. -al adjective + -ly suffix) – related to the thing you want to describe, e.g. academically education alphabetically alphabet /language aurally hearing behaviourally behaviour /actions biologically biology /body /metabolism chronologically time cosmetically face /appearance differently connected with… being different ecologically the environment economically money emotionally emotions /feelings environmentally the environment ethnically morality /behaviour /actions experientially experience /age facially face factually facts /information follically hair geographically geography /places historically history ideologically ideologies indefinitely something lasting a long time or forever involuntarily something not being your choice mathematically mathematics /numbers metabolically body /metabolism morally morality /behaviour /actions motivationally motivation levels /behaviour musically music /rhythm nasally nose nautically boats /the sea /the ocean politically politics psychologically the mind /the brain /psychology racially race residentially housing socially society /other people statistically statistics /facts technically technical things technologically technology /computers terminally death vertically height visually sight etc. • …with an adjective, such as disadvantaged challenged = you don’t have enough of something inconvenienced impaired Talk a Lot Intermediate Book 1 Why Use Politically Correct Language? 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Talk a Lot Intermediate Book 1 © English Banana.com different deficient unencumbered unfocused embarrassed discouraged untalented enabled gifted = you have too much of something enhanced orientated qualified improved different interesting = either of the above challenging flexible etc. Examples of new politically correct phrases: • Somebody who is afraid of travelling by boat is nautically challenged. • Somebody who is lost is geographically unfocused. etc. Suggested websites on equality and political correctness: Wikipedia – Political Correctness http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_correctness About Equal Opportunities (UK) http://www.aboutequalopportunities.co.uk/Equality and Human Rights Commission (UK) http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/Bernard Right-On – a parody of a PC (“right-on”) comedian from the 1980s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svLyyzBC_qI Suggested websites for English slang words and phrases: Peevish (UK): http://www.peevish.co.uk Urban Dictionary (US): http://www.urbandictionary.com Answers to Situation 1: 1. f) 2. e) 3. a) 4. d) 5. c) 6. b) Answers to Situation 2: 1. d) 2. a) 3. b) 4. c) 5. e) 6. f)