Language And Political Ideology

Word nut that I am, I’ve been following the pulse of the English language for quite some time. And lately there’s been a clear shift of the language to suit political and sociological ideology. I suppose this has always been the case…every politician with an agenda and power behind it (and the fourth estate behind them) has created their own catch phrases that have entered the lexicon. Soccer mom, Freedom Fries, Reaganomics, trickle-down theory, people of color, plausible deniability, and so on back to the day the first male of European descent looked at the first Native American and said, “Oh, you’re still here?”

But lately they’ve been coming at us faster and more furiously…and are getting downright ridiculous. At least for those of us who’d prefer to call an implement for creating holes in the earth a shovel.

For instance, you can’t say “illegal aliens” anymore. They are now called “migrant workers,” whether or not they’ve come across the border with legal papers in order to pick the harvest. I’m sure that ET and his brethren are now breathing a sigh of righteous relief, and will now step up their lobbying efforts to get the word “illegal” dropped as they don’t feel they are governed by any of our planetary laws.

Thanks to Congress and the Clinton Administration, “government spending” is now “government investing.” This way, they can raise taxes but still spin it into a good thing because it’s an investment, not frittering public dollars away on programs that will really just get sucked up into administrative costs and never reach the people who need them.

Thanks to the Food Police, when you make your Rice-A-Roni, in a large skillet you now stir your rice packet plus “butter, margarine, or the trans-fat-free spread of your choice.” Even though you should know by now that trans-fats are bad for you and cause childhood obesity, heart attacks, and global warming.

Thanks to Hurricane Katrina, when used in the US, “refugee” is now “survivor.”

Thanks to Hallmark, “Secretary’s Day” has now become “Administrative Professional’s Day.” I think I’m due about a dozen bouquets of flowers and a whole heap of free lunches.

Thanks to the Department of Health and Human Services (which itself used to be Health, Education and Welfare), “slums,” which became “Economic Oppression Zones” have now become, with the help of the Association of Realtors, “Economic Opportunity Zones.” Heck, I’m too dizzy from this one to comment.

Diplomacy is now “preemptive outreach.” So are diplomats now “Preemptive Outreach Workers?”

And the Politically Correct trend rains on.

According to the Global Language Monitor, you can no longer use the term “flip chart” as it is a term that is offensive to Filipinos. It is suggested that you use “writing block” instead.

I want to believe that this isn’t true, but staff at a Glasgow coffee shop refused to serve a customer who ordered a black coffee, believing it a racist snub. He was not served until he asked for “coffee without milk.”

A new, gender inclusive version of the Bible (Titled, “The Bible in a More Just Language”) includes the phrase, “Our Mother And Father Who Are In Heaven.”

And according to a training manual used at the Kirklee Council in West Yorkshire, England, the term “politically correct” is now politically incorrect.

We also have England to thank for replacing “terrorist” with “misguided criminal.”

Maybe they just need some preemptive outreach.