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PC gone bonkers

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  • 24-08-2009 7:34pm
    #1
    Kalashnikov_Kid
    Closed Accounts Posts: 642 ✭✭✭


    It could be construed as a black day for the English language — but not if you work in the public sector.

    Dozens of quangos and taxpayer-funded organisations have ordered a purge of common words and phrases so as not to cause offence.

    Among the everyday sayings that have been quietly dropped in a bid to stamp out racism and sexism are “whiter than white”, “gentleman’s agreement”, “black mark” and “right-hand man”.

    The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has advised staff to replace the phrase “black day” with “miserable day”, according to documents released under freedom of information rules.

    It points out that certain words carry with them a “hierarchical valuation of skin colour”. The commission even urges employees to be mindful of the term “ethnic minority” because it can imply “something smaller and less important”.

    The National Gallery in London believes that the phrase “gentleman’s agreement” is potentially offensive to women and suggests that staff should replace it with “unwritten agreement” or “an agreement based on trust” instead. The term “right-hand man” is also considered taboo by the gallery, with “second in command” being deemed more suitable.

    Many institutions have urged their workforce to be mindful of “gender bias” in language. The Learning and Skills Council wants staff to “perfect” their brief rather than “master” it, while the Newcastle University has singled out the phrase “master bedroom” as being problematic.

    Advice issued by the South West Regional Development Agency states: “Terms such as ‘black sheep of the family’, ‘black looks’ and ‘black mark’ have no direct link to skin colour but potentially serve to reinforce a negative view of all things black. Equally, certain terms imply a negative image of ‘black’ by reinforcing the positive aspects of white.

    “For example, in the context of being above suspicion, the phrase ‘whiter than white’ is often used. Purer than pure or cleaner than clean are alternatives which do not infer that anything other than white should be regarded with suspicion.”

    The clampdown in the public sector has angered some of the country’s most popular writers.

    Anthony Horowitz, author of the Alex Rider children’s spy books, said: “A great deal of our modern language is based on traditions which have now gone but it would be silly — and extremely inconvenient — to replace them all. A ‘white collar worker’, for example, probably doesn’t wear one. An ‘able seaman’, under new regulations, could well be neither. ‘Spanish practices’ can happen all over Europe. We know what these phrases mean and we can find out from where they were derived. Banning them is just unnecessary.”

    Marie Clair, spokeswoman for the Plain English Campaign, said: “Political correctness has good intentions but things can be taken to an extreme. What is really needed is a bit of common sense.”

    http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6806502.ece

    Sh1t what will I call my black bins now...


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Comments

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    #2
    Pighead
    Registered Users Posts: 14,182 ✭✭✭✭Pighead


    Have you tried clearing your cache?


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    #3
    Biggins
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 34,568 ✭✭✭✭Biggins


    Kalashnikov_Kid wrote: »
    ...Sh1t what will I call my black bins now...

    Name it after a FF TD.
    It will be full of crap eventually!


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    #4
    Tyranax
    Closed Accounts Posts: 308 ✭✭Tyranax


    Matte? It's a nice, metro, non-offensive word!


    But, seriously, what a load of nonsense. None of those words cause offense to anybody. Baffling.


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    #5
    Overheal
    Registered Users Posts: 81,726 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    Kalashnikov_Kid wrote: »
    http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6806502.ece

    Sh1t what will I call my black bins now...
    refusees?


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    #6
    bleg
    Registered Users Posts: 5,848 ✭✭✭bleg


    PC goes mad a few times a year, do you hear any "I've had enough" ads about it's disgraceful behavior?


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    #7
    Kalashnikov_Kid
    Closed Accounts Posts: 642 ✭✭✭Kalashnikov_Kid


    Biggins wrote: »
    Name it after a FF TD.
    It will be full of crap eventually!

    Wednesday night is Dermot Ahern night for me then


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    #8
    Shacklebolt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,418 ✭✭✭Shacklebolt


    I remember reading an article by an American journalist who claimed he had been advised to avoid using the phrase 'Fried Chicken' as it could be used in a derogatory fashion towards the cuisine of black people.


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    #9
    Biggins
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 34,568 ✭✭✭✭Biggins


    Kalashnikov_Kid wrote: »
    Wednesday night is Dermot Ahern night for me then

    Come winter my Harney bin will be out in the cold!


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    #10
    IvySlayer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,187 ✭✭✭✭IvySlayer


    What about a white lie? As white as *enter word here* etc etc

    The worst thing I've heard from the PC brigaders was the proposal to have more Black Santas. I'm sorry, but he's white, nothing can change that.


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    #11
    Keogg
    Registered Users Posts: 427 ✭✭Keogg


    Whiter then white.... is offensive?:eek:

    I wonder will Daz and such companies get fined for using politically incorrrect wording in their ads....


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    #12
    Mmcd
    Registered Users Posts: 805 ✭✭✭Mmcd


    IvySlayer wrote: »
    What about a white lie? As white as *enter word here* etc etc

    The worst thing I've heard from the PC brigaders was the proposal to have more Black Santas. I'm sorry, but he's white, nothing can change that.
    If there can be a black Santa I see no reason why a white guy shouldnt be allowed play Martin Luther King in some biopic movie!


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    #13
    IvySlayer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,187 ✭✭✭✭IvySlayer


    Mmcd wrote: »
    If there can be a black Santa I see no reason why a white guy shouldnt be allowed play Martin Luther King in some biopic movie!

    Or Obama :pac:


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    #14
    MelonieHead
    Closed Accounts Posts: 336 ✭✭MelonieHead


    Kalashnikov_Kid wrote: »
    PC gone bonkers

    :eek::eek: OMFG!!!!11!!

    You can't say PC anymore!! The correct term is Personal Computer.

    *tut* somethingist.


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    #15
    MelonieHead
    Closed Accounts Posts: 336 ✭✭MelonieHead


    IvySlayer wrote: »
    What about a white lie?

    A "white" lie is a lie that is small, inconsequential, not serious.


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    #16
    IvySlayer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,187 ✭✭✭✭IvySlayer


    MelonieHead wrote: »
    A "white" lie is a lie that is small, inconsequential, not serious.

    But it may offend me by referring to my skin colour.

    At least that is what the PC bunch are saying.


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    #17
    Shacklebolt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,418 ✭✭✭Shacklebolt


    Mmcd wrote: »
    If there can be a black Santa I see no reason why a white guy shouldnt be allowed play Martin Luther King in some biopic movie!

    Puff Daddy-the best James Bond we never had ;)

    http://www.worstpreviews.com/headline.php?id=11116


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    #18
    An Fear Aniar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,377 ✭✭✭An Fear Aniar


    I worked in a place here in London and one of the managers, a nice but old-fashioned chap used the term "n*ggers in the woodpile" in front of two colored gentlemen who worked in payroll. Needless to say he got dragged over hot coals for that one (no offense to burns victims intended there).

    .


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    #19
    Fratton Fred
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,567 ✭✭✭✭Fratton Fred


    IvySlayer wrote: »
    The worst thing I've heard from the PC brigaders was the proposal to have more Black Santas. I'm sorry, but he's white, nothing can change that.

    and you know this how exactly?


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    #20
    Pygmalion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,082 ✭✭✭Pygmalion


    IvySlayer wrote: »
    But it may offend me by referring to my skin colour.

    At least that is what the PC bunch are saying.
    "White lie" is probably fine because it can only offend white people, you'll find very few lonely middle-aged women stepping in and making THEM out to be defenceless and in need of protection from common everyday phrases.

    What I really want to know is who is spearheading these campaigns.
    I honestly can't see a foreigner coming in and thinking "Oh my god, an everyday phrase that uses a colour similar to my skin tone in a possibly negative way? What racists."

    To be honest this kind of campaign just makes out "ethnic minorities" to be boring, easily offended assholes who want to take away our right to talk casually.
    When in reality 99% of them don't give a **** and probably end up picking up some of these phrases themselves.


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    #21
    Shacklebolt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,418 ✭✭✭Shacklebolt


    Fratton Fred wrote: »
    and you know this how exactly?

    Because St Nicholas was Turkish not Nigerian.


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    #22
    An Fear Aniar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,377 ✭✭✭An Fear Aniar


    Shacklebolt wrote: »
    Because St Nicholas was Turkish not Nigerian.

    There were no Turks there at that time, they didn't arrive until the 11th century. He was most likely Greek.

    .


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    #23
    Shacklebolt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,418 ✭✭✭Shacklebolt


    An Fear Aniar wrote: »
    There were no Turks there at that time, they didn't arrive until the 11th century. He was most likely Greek.

    .

    Sorry I should have known that. Byzantine Empire and all.


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    #24
    Fratton Fred
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,567 ✭✭✭✭Fratton Fred


    Shacklebolt wrote: »
    Because St Nicholas was Turkish not Nigerian.
    An Fear Aniar wrote: »
    There were no Turks there at that time, they didn't arrive until the 11th century. He was most likely Greek.

    .

    it doesn't really matter i suppose, both nationalities are well known for wearing wellies and riding around on sleighs pulled by reindeer:D


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    #25
    Pygmalion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,082 ✭✭✭Pygmalion


    What are you guys talking about?
    Santa is from either the North pole or Finland!


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    #26
    Biggins
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 34,568 ✭✭✭✭Biggins


    ...and he was green, not Coke invented red!


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    #27
    Shacklebolt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,418 ✭✭✭Shacklebolt


    Fratton Fred wrote: »
    it doesn't really matter i suppose, both nationalities are well known for wearing wellies and riding around on sleighs pulled by reindeer:D

    I see your point Fred, the thing is hes always been portrayed as white. It just seems petty to demand depictions of santa as black.
    Pygmalion wrote: »
    What are you guys talking about?
    Santa is from either the North pole or Finland!

    Finland... pfft. They discussed this on the panel and unanimously decided hes from the North Pole not Finland.


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    #28
    genericguy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,831 ✭✭✭genericguy


    hmmm... i made a post here that appears to have gone AWOL.

    Is terry implementing these guidelines in advance of their inevitable inception by our government? :mad:


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    #29
    genericguy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,831 ✭✭✭genericguy


    chess will be banned next cos white gets to go first.
    here's the guy they have as senior advisor to the committee.

    http://www.funny-videos.co.uk/videothemilitantblackguyplayschess.html


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    #30
    JONJO THE MISER
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 12,333 ✭✭✭✭JONJO THE MISER


    Whats this got to do with Ireland, the story is about Britain, last time i checked Ireland wasnt part of Britain. You might as well put up a story relating to Germany or Spain for all the revelance it was to do with Ireland.


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    #31
    genericguy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,831 ✭✭✭genericguy


    JONJO THE MISER wrote: »
    Whats this got to do with Ireland, the story is about Britain, last time i checked Ireland wasnt part of Britain. You might as well put up a story relating to Germany or Spain for all the revelance it was to do with Ireland.

    given that a huge proportion of our laws are simply copy-pastes of the laws of our british counterparts, it will only be a matter of time before jabba the cowen wants them here.


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