Political Correctness Flashcards
1
Q
What is PC?
A
Language adapted to minimise social inequality and seeks to avoid language that insults
2
Q
Examples
A
- Mankind
- Steward, stewardess
- Waiter, waitress
- chairman
- slut
- male nurse
3
Q
Arguments FOR pc
A
- Helps shape language and social attitudes, change
- prevents inequality
4
Q
Arguments AGAINST pc
A
- People feel restricted
- Some people take it too far
- Leads to anxiety
5
Q
Sapir- Whorf hypothesis
A
- Language comes first then the way we think
6
Q
Linguistic Reflectionism
A
- Thoughts reflected through the use of language rather than language controlling our thoughts
7
Q
Linguistic Determinism
A
- Language shapes thought
8
Q
Deborah Cameron ‘Verbal Hygiene’
A
- book that pc terms can cause anxiety for some ( white, middle- aged men and middle class)
9
Q
Steven Pinker- Euphemism Treadmill
A
- Words that are used to replace offensive terms over time become offensive themselves
- e.g. retard was introduced as a kinder term for ‘imbecile’ but now offensive
- PC will prejorate and need replacing, constantly subject to change
10
Q
Norman Fairclough
A
- PC isn’t enough and we need to change society and the way it thinks about minority groups
11
Q
Prescriptive view of PC
A
- seen as a language change and attack on language , linking to decay and Aitchison’s crumbling castle metaphor
12
Q
Descriptive view of PC
A
- See PC form of prescriptivism and therefore may be against it
