Contents
The expression "politically correct" originated in the 1970s and originally meant "inclusive, without discrimination." It was applied in relation to language and communication that does not evoke a feeling of discrimination against an individual or any group of people.
Today, however, many seek the opposite, for exclusivity, for the dominance of their personality or the demographic group to which they belong. Therefore, the United States of America, which is the melting pot (or salad bowl, or pizza) of the most diverse groups of people, was seriously concerned about the resurgence of political correctness and decided to start with the language.
If we combine all the regulations and rules for the observance of political correctness, then 8 main recommendations will be developed for observing the norms of communication in our multicultural world.
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Be careful and careful when talking about others in their absence.
Use only those means of language that absolutely will not cause a feeling of discrimination, exclusion and humiliation.
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Avoid addressing only one variety of a group of people in the presence of many others.
Many, for example, translate the word "people" as men, thus violating the rights of women. Therefore, today many teachers are struggling to make their students wean from men and get used to people.
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In general, it is necessary to avoid the use of words in speech, which include words denoting gender.
Choose Chairperson instead of Chairman, Firefighter instead of Fireman, Flight Attendant instead of Stewardess. For the last word, try rewatching Anger Management, starring Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson. Adam Sandler's character on a plane was tasered by a police officer for calling a flight attendant a stewardess and not a flight attendant!
In general, female native speakers of English are very sensitive to vocabulary marked by gender. Therefore, try to avoid it (women, by the way, can also be avoided). There is only one way out - to use the prefixes Mr., Ms., Mrs. However, women also contributed to the language here: they do not want to be identified on the basis of marriage. Therefore, many require the address MS., which is neutral in this respect.
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Also, try not to mention words in your speech that directly or indirectly refer to physical, mental or mental disabilities.
Strive to refer to people with these conditions in the same way as everyone else, or with medical terms such as "person with a disability" or "person with Down's Syndrome".
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Avoid words referring to racial designations in your speech.
For example, the most obvious violation of the rules of political correctness is the designation of nationalities by skin color. The best option is the designation by citizenship. If you are not sure about citizenship (do not know or do not remember the origin of a person), then name a more general place: 'She is from Europe'.
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Try to avoid religiously marked words at public events or discussions.
The more people participate in the discussion, the more likely it is that their religious beliefs do not match. Therefore, in this case, there are no specific recommendations. Religion is a sphere of personal interests, therefore it is only touched upon in deeply personal communication, and not at public events.
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Choose your words carefully.
Vocabulary has such a property as contextuality. This means that the word has a subtext. Even the usual question “Do you have a boyfriend / girlfriend?” can cause embarrassment. Not because it's a deeply personal matter. But because the interlocutor can be an adherent of monopoly love. Therefore, it is better to ask “Are you dating anyone?” Therefore, try to select only neutral words, without hidden meanings.
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Respect your partner's views on race, social status, gender, sexual orientation, or physical ability.
Do not be offended if someone does not follow the above recommendations.
Of course, if you try to keep all 8 rules in your head and constantly think over every word, you may be considered retarded at least. Start following one recommendation each time you communicate. Start small and you will succeed in negotiations.
