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Originally Posted By: zmjezhd
It is the nonsense we have in this country called
Political Correctness, perpetuated by the media.


It's only called political correctness when the person disagrees with the change. If they agree, it's usually called common sense. I just call it politeness. If somebody does not want to be called chief or injun or Indian, who am I to continue calling them that. If they want to be called First Nations or Native Americans or people or what-have-you, it's little bother to me.

Bringing it back to language, I have noticed that peevers usually get all hot and bothered by language change, whether it is unconsciously or consciously applied.



hear, hear.


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hear, hear.

Their "they're there".


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I don't mind if it is those people (say the Indians/Native Americans) who want to change what they are called, what annoys me is when the other people (the non Indians/Native Americans) who think that those people (Indians/Native Americans) don't want to be called that/feel bad about calling them that and so change it without their views - imposing their embarrassed correction on people who may not mind it...


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what annoys me is when the other people (the non Indians/Native Americans) who think that those people (Indians/Native Americans) don't want to be called that/feel bad about calling them that and so change it without their views - imposing their embarrassed correction on people who may not mind it...

If only things were so simple. Almost everybody I have had this discussion with objects to the very people themselves wishing for offensive terms not to be used. For example, I've had more than one Brit try to explain to me (both of us being white) that nigger brown as a color (of fabrics, etc.) is not really offensive to black people. Or even better, how homosexuals have ruined the word gay for the heterosexual linguaphile community. Back to American Indians. It depends on whom you talk to and what your attitude is, but Native American, as a term, was not coined by guilty white folks hoping to make repressed indigenous people feel better. I've been tracking this phenomenon for a while, and it's usually pissed-off white people, disgruntled that "minority" groups are telling them how to use "their" language. Of course, YMMV.


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My grandmother preferred "Indian" to Native American.
Canada calls them "First Nations" when speaking of the
aboriginal peoples of their country.


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Originally Posted By: zmjezhd

....I wonder why the term fig-leaf edition was used instead of bowdlerized edition.


expurgate is another word I could have used, but I liked the 'fig leaf' image, as in 'cover up they nakedness' in the garden of Eden and how 'the statue of David' was given a fig leaf, so as to not offend 'our senses'.



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Pardon my asking, please, but I don't text, and thus
if it is indeed texting, what does YMMV stand for?

Last edited by LukeJavan8; 01/08/11 12:31 AM.

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LukeJavan8 #195707 01/08/11 12:43 AM
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you need the Urban Dictionary, Luke.


YMMV

Candy #195709 01/08/11 12:46 AM
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Perhaps, but I think I'll pass.


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LukeJavan8 #195715 01/08/11 02:59 AM
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Perhaps, but I think I'll pass.

Okay then, it means "your mileage may vary".


Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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