[Ads-l] Enslavement of Native Americans [was: wench

[Michael Quinion]

The discussion of the subtle but significant difference between "slave" 
and "enslaved person" certainly suggests an alternative for Z Rice to 
use if they find "slave" personally offensive. But it doesn't speak to 
their assertion that the use of the word "slave" as a descriptor 
legitimises the practice of enslavement. I really can't get my head 
round this ...

-- 
Michael Quinion, World Wide Words
http://www.worldwidewords.org


On 01/04/2016 19:00, Michael Quinion wrote:
> On 01/04/2016 17:43, Z Rice wrote:
>> As I said the first time, the use of the term "slave" on this mailing 
>> list
>> is very telling as it implicitly LEGITIMIZES the enslavement of 
>> children,
>> women, and men. The language in your message, and on this mailing list
>> engages in this practice, and I will never submit to navigating history
>> with that sort of manipulative language and warped thinking.
>
> Your repeated assertion of this nonsense is becoming tiresome.
>
> Somebody who has been enslaved is a slave. The word is nothing more 
> than a useful identifier. You can't change the English language by 
> diktat, no matter how much a word might offend you.

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org