Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 2 of 2 1 2
#119041 01/08/04 01:18 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
There, there, Anna--you can win next time... [devilish grin]


#119042 01/08/04 01:36 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511



#119043 01/10/04 12:15 AM
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154
Z
Zed Offline
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
Z
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154
No matter how innocuous a term is originally, if used to describe a minority, it will eventually sound like an insult because of the ignorami who use it as an insult. Coloured people was at one time the new and non-stigmatising term.
I do have a problem with the term "people of colour" because it forgets all of the other colours out there. (and because it makes me feel somehow grey and colourless, like a poor quality black and white photo.)


#119044 01/10/04 01:00 AM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Logically there's no difference between 'people of color' and 'colored people.' Any problem I might have with 'people of color' is that it sounds so awkward.


#119045 01/11/04 01:56 AM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
B
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
B
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
Why wouldn't you just say the person's ethnicity? Or say, ethnic people?

In Quebec, we don't have a term that says the same thing as 'coloured people/people of colour' term.

African-American is a very U.S.-centric term. Whether the lightest brown to the darkest black, folks just call themselves black here.




#119046 01/11/04 03:11 AM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788
Bel asks: "Why wouldn't you just say the person's ethnicity? Or say, ethnic people?"

And the old padre wonders: "Who's NOT ethnic?"





#119047 01/11/04 03:28 AM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
B
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
B
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
And the old padre wonders: "Who's NOT ethnic?"

Generally, I think the people who need to label the people who they consider coloured don't consider themselves ethnic.


#119048 01/11/04 04:22 AM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788
I think Bel is right: most people who call other people "ethnic" don't think of themselves as being ethnic. This is, of course, silliness, since ethnicity refers to one's origin in terms of race, nationality, tribe, religion, language group, and culture ... and everybody has all of those. Nobody pops into this world without parents ... not even clones.






#119049 01/11/04 08:38 PM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
B
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
B
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
Well said Father Steve.


Page 2 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 442 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5