Stanford University's "Harmful Language Initiative." SMH ...

a reply to: incoserv

Sorry to be a contrarian.

I do agree with this to a certain point. As people we have to evolve, part of that includes our language.

I recently watched some Archie Bunker, and a lot of it was cringy. I remember back in the day we would bust a gut watching that. (that phrase is probably insensitive to people that have busted their guts) oh well.

Back to my point. Are there other words that can be used that convey the same meaning? Maybe some of it goes to far, but language has always been something that evolves.

Also what do you call a woman with an etopic pregnancy that needs to have surgery, just curious?
What do you call a woman that needs a medical abortion but very much wants the baby? But let's not get into that discussion.

a reply to: incoserv

Free speech is the right, the ability to say whatever you want as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others.

And before the evil left knee-jerks, being offended is not an infringement of individual rights.

Why is the evil left so bent on controlling what we say?

Because it is a fundamental right, and if they can take that away, then they can do whatever they want.

a reply to: DBCowboy

Free speech is the right, the ability to say whatever you want as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others.

Yes that's true, but Stanford is a private university. Don't like what they call things, don't pay to go there.

a reply to: incoserv

Hate to be the one to post Orwell but here we go.

• “You think, I dare say, that our chief job is inventing new words. But not a bit of it! We’re destroying words–scores of them, hundreds of them, every day. We’re cutting the language down to the bone.”

1984

The modern day parallels are really starting to mount up.

Oh frack, that's just felgercarb.

They are just a bunch of loonies.

And they are a bunch of scruffy nerf herders.

Your mother smells of elderberries.

They don't even like snusnu.

Neh!

originally posted by: JAGStorm
a reply to: DBCowboy

Free speech is the right, the ability to say whatever you want as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others.

Yes that's true, but Stanford is a private university. Don't like what they call things, don't pay to go there.

They don't take government money?

a reply to: underpass61

I just have to say I am amazed at your clever use of fruit'.
Bannana you berry mulch.

a reply to: DBCowboy

It may take government money, but it is not government funded, and yes there is a difference.

originally posted by: JAGStorm
a reply to: DBCowboy

It may take government money, but it is not government funded, and yes there is a difference.

Semantics.

A university is promoting "new speak" and you are defending it.

a reply to: DBCowboy

A university is promoting "new speak" and you are defending it.

Universities have been promoting "new speak" since they have been around.
And since they have been around people opposed to change have been made and questioning it.

www.linguisticsociety.org...

Yes, and so is every other human language! Language is always changing, evolving, and adapting to the needs of its users. This isn't a bad thing; if English hadn't changed since, say, 1950, we wouldn't have words to refer to modems, fax machines, or cable TV. As long as the needs of language users continue to change, so will the language. The change is so slow that from year to year we hardly notice it, except to grumble every so often about the ‘poor English’ being used by the younger generation! However, reading Shakespeare's writings from the sixteenth century can be difficult. If you go back a couple more centuries, Chaucer's Canterbury Tales are very tough sledding, and if you went back another 500 years to try to read Beowulf, it would be like reading a different language.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Learning new words like "modem" or "cell phone" is not the same as replacing words that already exist.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: JAGStorm

Learning new words like "modem" or "cell phone" is not the same as replacing words that already exist.

You don’t think words have been replace?

I mean what is the OP? A university chooses to replace words to suit THEIR users.
This doesn’t mean YOU have to start using them. If THEIR users don’t like they will probably stop trying to go there for schooling and they will lose money and then they might change the words back.

I thought we were all into places being FREE to choose how to serve their customers? Is that not so?
Should the baker then bake Gay cakes?

It's just the new Tower of Babel.

Nothing Biblical going on.

I Love Big Brother and He Loves Me.

Carry on.

a reply to: incoserv

The project's stated purpose is to “eliminate many forms of harmful language, including racist, violent, and biased … language in Stanford websites and code.”

It would be a lot cheaper (and easier) to teach the students a little nursery rhyme I learned as a toddler -

It starts with the words: "Sticks and stones..."

originally posted by: JAGStorm
a reply to: incoserv

Sorry to be a contrarian.

I do agree with this to a certain point. As people we have to evolve, part of that includes our language.

I agree with you. And we are evolving, with some kicking and screaming to hold on to what was.

I wonder how some speak to each other in their own home.

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: JAGStorm

Learning new words like "modem" or "cell phone" is not the same as replacing words that already exist.

You don’t think words have been replace?

I mean what is the OP? A university chooses to replace words to suit THEIR users.
This doesn’t mean YOU have to start using them. If THEIR users don’t like they will probably stop trying to go there for schooling and they will lose money and then they might change the words back.

I thought we were all into places being FREE to choose how to serve their customers? Is that not so?
Should the baker then bake Gay cakes?

And how soon will it be before I am mandated to say immigrant instead of illegal alien?

You folks appaud this and it's rather disgusting.

a reply to: Annee

I learned that there are different kinds of survival mechanisms.

We only hear about fight or flight.

What I learned is that there is a portion of people that are just angry. They don’t necessarily fight, but their response to change/survival is just anger. I think that is a lot of what we are seeing in our rapidly changing world.
People don’t know how to cope with the changes so their survival response is just plain ol’ anger.


I provided many legitimate points, noticed how they were glossed over.
Private University.
You don’t have to say the words if you don’t like them. etc.

a reply to: DBCowboy

And how soon will it be before I am mandated to say immigrant instead of illegal alien? You folks appaud this and it's rather disgusting.

You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, it’s a free country, remember?
All about choice!

originally posted by: JAGStorm
a reply to: DBCowboy

And how soon will it be before I am mandated to say immigrant instead of illegal alien? You folks appaud this and it's rather disgusting.

You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, it’s a free country, remember?
All about choice!

Yeah, try posting that on some sites, or even government sites.

lol

free country

lol

originally posted by: JAGStorm
a reply to: Annee


What I learned is that there is a portion of people that are just angry. They don’t necessarily fight, but their response to change/survival is just anger.

People don’t know how to cope with the changes so their survival response is just plain ol’ anger.

Anger and Fear. Totally agree.

I just don't understand being "stuck" and choosing to be "stuck".

I enjoy the evolution. The best thing about the "Good Old Days" is selective memory.

There are countries that have laws about being verbally nice. My kid and I were just discussing it the other day.