PC vs. euphemism

[Paul B. Gallagher]

Alina Israeli wrote:

> You are confusing PC and euphemisms. The latter always existed and 
> there are dictionaries of euphemisms. PC simply requires one not to
> use offensive language towards minorities. You can still think in
> racial slur in the privacy of your own WC but you are not expected to
> produce it publicly. That's all. ...

Actually, things are more complicated than that.

When the practice of avoiding racial slurs and accounting for "minority" 
groups such as women that had traditionally been left out began, many 
people readily adopted it, but there was also a backlash among a 
(forgive the expression) minority who felt this was an imposition, a 
restriction on their freedom of speech. And some extremists at that end 
of the spectrum have fabricated all sorts of horror stories about what 
PC "really means" -- that members of a men's basketball team supposedly 
must be termed "he or she," that sort of nonsense. So in certain 
circles, "PC" has come to be regarded with derision and resentment.

As you said in the part of your message that I snipped, the language (or 
rather, the culture) will sort itself out in a generation or two. 
Meanwhile, other issues will arise, and we'll evolve and adapt to deal 
with those as well. Language is more a reflection of attitudes than the 
other way around.

-- 
War doesn't determine who's right, just who's left.
--
Paul B. Gallagher
pbg translations, inc.
"Russian Translations That Read Like Originals"
http://pbg-translations.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------