August 2017 Newsletter

August 15, 2017

“Perhaps one of the reasons we’re experiencing societal polarization is because we’re not using inclusive language more. People catch on to euphemisms, and calling folks ‘less educated’ is akin to calling them stupider than another group.”

“These are the things that person-first language set out to accomplish: don’t demean, dehumanize, or stigmatize people by way of the language you use to describe them. It’s time to go back to that worthy goal, and not let a language tip that should never have become a hard-and-fast rule in the first place get in the way of treating each other with respect and care.”

“A growing number of people in the disabled community are using identity-first language, and this is how to figure out if you should be using it, too.”

“Michelle Lanier, executive director of the N.C. African American Heritage Commission, says these words emphasize the humanity of people living under bondage. They reinforce that enslaved people had skills, craftsmanship, families and dreams.”

“My understanding of the word ‘exotic’ is that it means ‘rare’ and ‘unique.’ The most populous people on this planet are, in fact, Asian.”—Paula Williams Madison, retired TV executive

“Media representations rarely put in the effort to get the complex patterns of Appalachian dialects right. Instead, they’ll use clothing and one or two dialect features…to create a broadly sketched, stereotypical portrait.”

“Planned Parenthood has been evolving its expression of long-standing ideals on reproductive rights to suit the times, in part because of young peoples’ resistance to such black-and-white labels.”

“While publishers look to produce ever more colourful and exciting texts to entice buyers, University of Sussex psychologists have shown that having more than one illustration per page results in poorer word learning among pre-schoolers.”

“It will not surprise you to learn that the more unhealthy the vegetables sounded, the more likely people were to eat them.”

“We seem most likely to use these phrases when we are overwhelmed, behind schedule, or can’t find a unifying diagnosis…. But they also reflect our tendency to use language that separates us from them.”

Reminders on how to write sensitively about suicide, including ReportingOnSuicide.org’s cautions to use less sensational language and to avoid using “epidemic,” “skyrocketing,” and other strong terms.

“If you’re thinking of saying something about your female pastor’s appearance—stop, and ask yourself—would I say the same thing if this were a male pastor?”

“Good morning, everyone”—the London Tube is now using gender-inclusive language for announcements.

The Advertising Standards Authority (UK) is cracking down on sexist ads. Starting in 2018, ad scripts that perpetuate gender stereotypes or make sexist claims will be banned.

Sheila Michaels “help[ed] repurpose Ms. as a generic descriptor for all women—like Mr. for men—who had been segregated into Miss and Mrs. depending on marital status.”

“Emojis might be improving our ability to express ourselves, but like any form of human communication, there is always the possibility of misunderstanding.”

“Repeating profanities during tasks including cycling and a hand-grip test boosted performance, researchers say.”

Taking care of customers means going beyond “I will” and “No problem.”

“Biases can be a moving target…so smart copyeditors build a library of resources they can refer to for their work.”

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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