August 2015 Newsletter

February 10, 2016

What Is Conscious Language, Anyway?

Conscious language is the art of using words effectively in a specific context. Who is your audience? What tone and level of formality do you want? What are you trying to achieve? Some words are more apt than others.

The most important part of conscious language is the conscious part—our intention. Good writers consciously use disagreeable language to strike a dissonant tone. The goal is not to be inoffensive or politically correct (whatever that means), because even language intended to be inclusive and considerate is deeply offensive to many. If you’re interested in conscious language, then know your intention, and evoke and provoke skillfully.

As with life, have fun with language.

Intentionally yours,

Karen YinFounder

“Most Americans are already in agreement that all life matters—it’s just that blacks want to make sure that they are included in that category of ‘all’….”

“As in hunting, leaders in the fur and meat industries are fluent in this alternate language.”

When able-bodied allies override the language that disabled people use to describe themselves.

“Target’s announcement comes two months after an Ohio woman tweeted a picture of a sign in Target’s toy section with separate labels for ‘building sets’ and ‘girls’ building sets.'”

“It is an archaic phrase, and even though Julian Bond himself may have used it in the past, we should not have.”—Dean Baquet, executive editor of The New York Times

“Instead of knocking fun, buzz-worthy weather terms, let’s embrace them or, at the very least, use them as an opportunity to inform.”

“We need to instead focus on why other qualities do matter.”

“In studies, people report that they feel better after venting. But researchers find they actually become angrier and more aggressive.”

“As Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter followers, it is our responsibility to figure out how we can process and reflect on a difficult conversation (citation: Minaj, Swift) without reducing it to petty fight between two celebrities.”

 The Power of Language | Love Parenting

“When we accuse and use negative language towards our children, we can expect negative results.”

“Hopefully these actresses will lead by example and encourage not only other actresses to refuse to tolerate sexist questions, but force reporters—and their industry at large—to regard Hollywood’s women and their work with the respect they deserve.”

“Responsibility is shared—which is how certain duties, like talking with a patient about how close he is to death, can fall through the cracks.”

“A recent Google survey conducted by the New York Times indicated that women keeping their names is on the rise…”

“I think we have to stand up for the freedom of fiction writers to write what they want to write, no matter how offensive it might be to some one else.”—Anne Rice

If using the singular they, is it “They is happy” or “They are happy”?

“Charmaine Nelson, an art historian who teaches about slavery at McGill University in Montreal, said she has mixed feelings about changing the place names…. ‘If you start to wipe out these place names, it makes it easier to say it didn’t happen here.'”

“A recent Google survey conducted by the New York Times indicated that women keeping their names is on the rise…”

 10X: “Good Job” Alternatives | Teaching Young Children

“A ‘good job’ now and then is fine, but it doesn’t help children understand why what they did was good.”

“A recent Google survey conducted by the New York Times indicated that women keeping their names is on the rise…”

The Conscious Style Guide newsletter rounds up the best news and blog posts from the world of kind, compassionate, mindful, empowering, respectful, and inclusive language. Note: Spotlighting an opinion is not intended as an endorsement. Please send news tips to [email protected].

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