How many does it take to be "diverse"?

[Jonathan Lighter]

I first saw this use of "minority" in a freshman theme ca1978-79. I'd only been teachiong for a couple of years, and this was, truthfully, the most nearly illiterate paper I had ever read - so bad, in fact, I kept a photocopy for myself.

  If it turns up I will supply the exact quote.

  JL

"Arnold M. Zwicky" <zwicky at CSLI.STANFORD.EDU> wrote:
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Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: "Arnold M. Zwicky"
Subject: Re: How many does it take to be "diverse"?
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On Feb 19, 2008, at 6:53 AM, Charlie Doyle wrote:

> Sort of like "minority" ('member of a minority group'): as in "There
> were only two minorities among the applicants." (Have we
> confabulated about that usage at some point?)

dunno, but it's now in the OED. Mar. 2002 draft entry:

3.c. U.S. A member of a minority group. Usu. in pl.

e.g.: 1985 Albuquerque (New Mexico) Jrnl. 11 Dec. A3/3 During the past
year, UNM hired six minorities and 21 women.

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