Politically Correct or Incorrect?

Do you always say what you really mean? Have you happened be totally misunderstood or blamed because you used the wrong choice of words in English? Choosing the right words seems tricky not only for English as a Second/ Foreign Language (ESL/ EFL) speakers but also for native English speakers as well. It is probably because one cannot always care about how he or she is viewed while speaking.

I heard an American English instructor – who has been teaching in Seoul, Korea – complaining that her Korean colleagues and even some students called her “a fat teacher”, which sounds VERY rude and inappropriate to her (and to most of us). Yes, even in Korea where people show their affection by making comments on their friend’s appearance, the word “FAT” is NOT a good choice of description for somebody who is “PLEASANTLY PLUMP”.  One day, the instructor became really pissed and said to her colleague “Oh, thank you for your KIND remarks about my body, Midget!” Well, I bet the instructor knew her comment would make them angry.  Hmm….. she must have decided to sound as rude as her colleagues and students by opting for politically incorrect words.  Otherwise, she might be adopting some kind of vindictive move towards the bad-mouths?

Well, since I learned about her bitter experience, I’ve become more and more cautious in picking words. For instance, I always prefer to use “mail carrier” to “mail man” or “post man” not to make sexual discrimination in my expressions. Also, I have never liked the words “Illegal Aliens” which make these people law-breaking creatures from outer space. Yes, we can refer to them as “Undocumented Immigrants” which suggests that they are the immigrants that simply have not gone through the red tape of submitting lots of paperwork to the immigration office.  What about calling people handicapped? That sounds too rude to me. We can say “physically challenged” people instead of handicapped or disabled, can’t we? Every Monday morning, we take out garbage accumulated for a week at home, and the garbage truck comes around 9 A.M. I feel grateful for the hard work of those “Sanitation Engineers” (not the Garbage Man) who not only pick up our garbage but professionally handle it.

Expressions

       vindictive move: actions or state that aims to hurt others or retaliate others

            red tape: formal government procedures/ forms

            Politically (in)correct words: the words we use without offending anyone of difference sex/ race/ religion/ political faith/ physical traits. It is based on the laws of moral and ethical relativism; all systems of cultures and thought are equal in value

-          Examples of Politically correct words:

*pleasantly plump instead of “fat”

*midget instead of “short/ small” in size

*mail carrier instead of “mail man” or “post man”

*”Undocumented Immigrants” instead of “illegal aliens”

* “physically challenged” instead of “handicapped” or “disabled”

* “sanitation engineer” instead of “garbage man”