European Groups Ban 'Racist' Everyday Phrases

European Groups Ban 'Racist' Everyday Phrases

www.timesonline.co.uk

It could be construed as a black day for the English language — but not if you work in the public sector.

Dozens of quangos and taxpayer-funded organisations have ordered a purge of common words and phrases so as not to cause offence.

Among the everyday sayings that have been quietly dropped in a bid to stamp out racism and sexism are “whiter than white”, “gentleman’s agreement”, “black mark” and “right-hand man”.

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
www.foxnews.com

I used the title from the Fox article, as I felt it was less tongue in cheek. However, I linked to the original article to be closer to the source.

Has political correctness gone too far? I think it has. This is just plain crazy. "Master" must be replaced with "perfect"? I guess my Mastery Level scores on tests are racist. I am still puzzled over the "right-hand man" one was well.

I understand this didn't happen in the US, but will people push for it here? Will the 1st Ammendment finally be shredded? This is all crazy.

www.timesonline.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

Right-handed man?

This is ludicrous. Do they really think that people are going to stop using these words? It's just as silly as when, a few months back, the EU parliament banned the use of "Mrs." in English and the use of gender determiners in other romance/Germanic language, because, it's "sexist", "women shouldn't have to reveal their marital status", and other pieces of trash like that.

When will the people from Hamburg stand up and demand to ban the racist term Hamburger. I mean not everyone in Hamburg look like that.

Political correctness is going to far,what idiots vote for this and why the hell are they allowed to make these stupid laws

Yeah this is probably one of my biggest annoyances with the world that has begun in the last few decades. When did it start? Who started it? And why do they keep pushing it?

Who benefits from cutting these words? Show me anyone who would actually become aggravated at someone calling the largest bedroom a master bedroom? Or a left handed person who becomes upset when they hear right hand man? I mean really, it just doesn't happen.

Sometime, somewhere down the line someone got it into their head that the population needs to be nannied like this, and they took it upon themselves to undertake what I'm sure they think is the most important job in the world.

Plead Tourett's Syndrome. Just cuss all the time in every imaginable way. Then you will be a disabled person and by law they will not be able to stop you from SAYING ANYTHING YOU WANT

It must be a pampered individual who gets offended by these sayings. I would be ashamed to admit if such small things offended me.

This is taking political correctness way too far. I'm surprised that the people of Europe don't revolt and take a stand against this kind of language. This is completely Orweillian. We already have the ministry of language in right now. I guess Orwell is rolling in his grave. That's really something.

well, to be politically correct, whoever came up with this waste of a beautiful language and waste of taxpayers money should 'go forth and multiply'

Originally posted by derpif
When will the people from Hamburg stand up and demand to ban the racist term Hamburger. I mean not everyone in Hamburg look like that.

We must start a movement to support the plight of the native Hamburgers!

And then we'll start a neighborhood watch, I have heard they have quite the problem with Hamburglars.

On topic: This is ridiculous. You can't tell me they couldn't find a more offensive word then "right hand man."

[edit on 23-8-2009 by BaronVonGodzilla]

Whoever signed those laws are persons of limitations.

The word agreement is not offensive, so I must presume that gentlemen even agreeable ones, are offensive.

It's enough to make one grateful for being a barbaric thug!

Originally posted by Chakotay
Plead Tourett's Syndrome. Just cuss all the time in every imaginable way. Then you will be a disabled person and by law they will not be able to stop you from SAYING ANYTHING YOU WANT

Funny you should say that. My wife an accountant pretends to have Touretts. Not the cussing type. But it sure does keep her boss at bay.

She use to do it on the London Underground, quick way to get a seat on the tube...

[edit on 23-8-2009 by greenfruit]

I think they should outlaw any word denoting colors that might be construed as a racist remark. Nothing in England can be black, white, red, yellow or brown. Also, you shouldn't call it the Union Jack anymore, it's just the Union Flag. Jack boots are now "Tall Boots" and you can't say "blind sided" anymore. Nor should you say "turn a deaf ear".

I also don't think you should be able to tell people to "pay attention" as it's offensive to those with ADD. Along that same line I don't think people should act happy as it's offensive to those that are depressed. Better looking people should have to wear veils of varying degrees proportionate to their level of attractiveness so as not to offend ugly people. People who are in shape and thin should be forced to wear padding so that we all appear to be the same size.

I also believe we should all be completely bald, wear dark glasses and gray one piece jump suits with matching shoes. We should live in small boxes that all look a like, everyone will make the same amount of money doing the same exact job and we should all refer to ourselves as Citizen, which I know is risky because it's obviously offensive to non-citizens but you have to put your foot down somewhere.

Well let's face it Europe has always been plagued with bad ideas since the Holy Roman Empire.

Always fighting over something of little to no consequence always making it seem like its of paramount importance.

Martin Luther said what? King Henry did what? Napollean said what?

It's going to take a lot more than a dictionary to clean up that cesspool of convoluted thinking!

Europeans just need to get out of Europe. It will do them a world of good, see the real world, let some of their fears and prejudices fall by the way side!

I would love to help but I am not Europe's Master but I do promise to put my Right Hand Man on this.

Poor people. It's probably all the inbreeding.

OK, this discussion has been too one-sided.

The term "Mr." says your a guy, but nothing about your marital status. The prefix before a woman's name, Mrs. or Miss, does indicate marital status.

Why is that? Why is it necessary to know if a woman is married or not? Is that not a throwback to the dark ages? Sure it means nothing to you if you are a man, but to a woman, it just might.

Words are way more powerful than you think. Laughing off those powers is possible only when they don't affect you - you the young, white, male without disability of any kind.

I haven't seen the whole list, but I'll bet there is story behind every one of them.

Let me tell you, I will die saying every last word I am told not to. If these kinds of word get banned here, I will personally find the most public place to speak and scream anything I'm not supposed to.

Why doesn't the government just take each person's voice box?

Go ahead and say any word you wish, but just don't be ignorant about the fact that you might be offending someone; regardless of what the government does or doesn't have to say about it.

Ok, there's alot of misconceptions and utter bollocks in this thread, let me clarify..

Firstly, these Quango's and agencies are merely asking their own employees to shy away from these "offensive" words. There is no Law being passed or any "ban" in effect.

It's up to the organisations themselves as to how they conduct their business. In my own line of work, there are certain ways to present information to certain people, but there are no "Laws" governing such behaviour.

Secondly, the European parliament did not ban the use of Mr/Mrs/Miss etc. It was merely some guide book published by some sections of the Parliament on how to conduct oneself in the Parliament and was roundly criticised by most parties as silly. There was no Laws passed banning the use of those words.

In short, it seems that every poster in this thread is from outside the EU and has little grasp on the subject they are commenting on.

I've only got one thing to say about this : Ingsoc Newspeak doubleplusungood.