Political CorrectnessPolitical Correctness

Language, or behavior, which is Language, or behavior, which is claimed to be calculated to claimed to be calculated to provide a minimum of offense, provide a minimum of offense, particularly to the racial, cultural, particularly to the racial, cultural, or other identity groups being or other identity groups being describeddescribed

Term “PC” is hotly contestedTerm “PC” is hotly contested

Identity politics (gay rights, Identity politics (gay rights, feminism, multiculturalism, disability feminism, multiculturalism, disability rights)rights)

““gender-neutral” job titles: gender-neutral” job titles: lineworker vs lineman, chairperson lineworker vs lineman, chairperson vs chairman, differently abled vs vs chairman, differently abled vs disabled, Native American vs Indiandisabled, Native American vs Indian

Modern concept arose in 1970’s-Modern concept arose in 1970’s-80’s: socially acceptable for 80’s: socially acceptable for women and non-Caucasians to women and non-Caucasians to pursue lifestyles that had been pursue lifestyles that had been previously been held (nearly) previously been held (nearly) exclusively by Caucasian men, exclusively by Caucasian men, such as senior management such as senior management position within a large corporation. position within a large corporation.

English language must change its English language must change its male-centered nouns such as male-centered nouns such as “chairman” to more inclusive “chairman” to more inclusive

terms such as “chairpersonterms such as “chairperson””

Using “person with a disability” or Using “person with a disability” or preferably “differently abled” in preferably “differently abled” in preference to “handicapped” or preference to “handicapped” or “crippled”; “mentally ill” in “crippled”; “mentally ill” in preference to “crazy”preference to “crazy”

Belief based on Sapir-Whorf Belief based on Sapir-Whorf hypothesis: language’s hypothesis: language’s grammatical categories shape its grammatical categories shape its speakers’ ideas and actionspeakers’ ideas and action

The objective was (and remains) The objective was (and remains) to bring peoples’ unconscious to bring peoples’ unconscious biases into awareness, allowing biases into awareness, allowing them to make more informed them to make more informed choices about their language and choices about their language and making them aware of things making them aware of things different people might find different people might find offensiveoffensive

Goal of changing languageGoal of changing language

Certain people have their rights, Certain people have their rights, opportunities, or freedoms opportunities, or freedoms restricted due to their restricted due to their categorization as members of a categorization as members of a group with a derogatory group with a derogatory stereotypestereotype

Goal of changing languageGoal of changing language

This categorization is largely This categorization is largely implicit and unconscious, and is implicit and unconscious, and is facilitated by the easy availability facilitated by the easy availability of labeling terminologyof labeling terminology

Goal of changing languageGoal of changing language

By making the labeling By making the labeling terminology problematic, people terminology problematic, people are made to think consciously are made to think consciously about how they describe about how they describe someonesomeone

Goal of changing languageGoal of changing language

Once labeling is a conscious Once labeling is a conscious activity, individual merits of a activity, individual merits of a person, rather than their person, rather than their perceived membership in a group, perceived membership in a group, become more apparentbecome more apparent

Language’s grammatical Language’s grammatical categories control its speakers’ categories control its speakers’ possible thoughtspossible thoughtsWays in which we see the world Ways in which we see the world may be influenced by the kind of may be influenced by the kind of language we uselanguage we useSexist language promotes sexist Sexist language promotes sexist thoughtthought

Members of identity groups Members of identity groups sometime embrace terms that sometime embrace terms that others seek to changeothers seek to change

Deaf culture has always Deaf culture has always considered the label “Deaf” as an considered the label “Deaf” as an affirming statement of group affirming statement of group membership and not insultingmembership and not insulting

Term now substituted for term Term now substituted for term “deaf” is “hearing impaired”“deaf” is “hearing impaired”Developed to include people with Developed to include people with hearing loss due to aging, hearing loss due to aging, accidents, and other causesaccidents, and other causesConsidered highly derogatory by Considered highly derogatory by many deaf peoplemany deaf people

Term “Hard of Hearing” however, Term “Hard of Hearing” however, is considered an acceptable is considered an acceptable descriptive term for a person who descriptive term for a person who has limited to no hearinghas limited to no hearing

New terms are often awkwardNew terms are often awkward

Substitutes for the original stark Substitutes for the original stark language concerning differences language concerning differences such as race, gender, sexual such as race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, and orientation, disability, religion, and political viewspolitical views

Some argue that political Some argue that political correctness amounts to censorship correctness amounts to censorship and endangers free speechand endangers free speech

Politically correct terminology can Politically correct terminology can be used to soften concepts that be used to soften concepts that would be unacceptable in normal would be unacceptable in normal languagelanguage

Conservatives often view many Conservatives often view many politically correct terms as being politically correct terms as being linguistic cover for an evasion of linguistic cover for an evasion of personal responsibilitypersonal responsibility““juvenile delinquents” become juvenile delinquents” become “children at risk”“children at risk”““Illegal aliens” become Illegal aliens” become “undocumented workers”“undocumented workers”

Political correctness can often Political correctness can often detect offensive language when detect offensive language when there is nonethere is none

““herstory” instead of “history”herstory” instead of “history”

Nineteen Eighty-FourNineteen Eighty-Four by George by George Orwell Orwell

NewspeakNewspeak

““bad” replaced by “ungood” and bad” replaced by “ungood” and the concept of “freedom” has the concept of “freedom” has been eliminated over timebeen eliminated over time

If humans cannot form the words If humans cannot form the words to express the ideas underlying a to express the ideas underlying a revolution, then they cannot revoltrevolution, then they cannot revolt