[Ads-l] "illegal immigrant" as politically incorrect

[Jonathan Lighter]

It is said, by the sort of tendentious, mystical semantic reinterpretation
we are familiar with, that no person can be actually be "illegal."

Because it is perfectly legal, and more than legal, to be a person,
immigrant or otherwise.

So "illegal immigrant" is a coarse insult to the humanity of the
undocumented.

As is "alien," because aliens are from space.

JL



On Mon, Nov 30, 2015 at 10:43 AM, Amy West <medievalist at w-sts.com> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Amy West <medievalist at W-STS.COM>
> Subject:      Re: "illegal immigrant" as politically incorrect
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> On 11/28/15 12:00 AM, ADS-L automatic digest system wrote:
> > Date:    Fri, 27 Nov 2015 13:05:53 -0800
> > From:    "James A. Landau"<JJJRLandau at NETSCAPE.COM>
> > Subject: "illegal immigrant" as politically incorrect
> >
> > I somehow got on the mailing list for a group called "DefineAmerican".
> >
> > This group has been trying to get people to stop using the term "illegal
> immigrant".  Specifically they have been targeting CNN. In their words:
> <snip>
> >
> > I have no idea how big or important DefineAmerican is, and I have not
> heard anyone else object to the term "illegal immigrant" (although the
> above text implies the National Association of Hispanic Journalists is also
> behind this campaign).
> Well, I had a student remark on another student's use of the term in
> class during peer review a couple weeks ago. These are adult (30+ & 50+
> years old, respectively) students.
>
> ---Amy West
>
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> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>



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