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Thursday 13 January 2011

Language - blackberries, et al

I appreciate that as society changes, our language does, too. There are words that are no longer politically correct.

Zaffirini tried unsuccessfully in 2009 to pass the so-called “respectful language” bill. In the meantime, the U.S. Congress passed, without opposition, its own respectful-language bill calledRosa’s Law, which eliminates use of the word retarded in federal statutes. President Barack Obama signed the bill last year.

Advocates gathered at the Capitol on Tuesday to support SB 26, filed by state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, which would require past and future state laws to replace terms like “crippled” and “mentally retarded” with phrases such as “persons with disabilities” or “persons with intellectual disabilities.”

Language is more fashion than science, and matters of usage, spelling and pronunciation tend to wander around like hemlines.    -Bill Bryson, author (b. 1951)
There is another field, besides education where language has evolved greatly: technology.
This is good for a long laugh!

5 comments:

  1. As I pick myself off the floor..... That has to be one of the funniest skits I have seen in a long time. More so as I watch the facial expressions where they try not to burst into laughter themselves. I always wonder how much of their fun is 'off the cuff'..Boy, they nailed it! :)) ATB!

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  2. love the wildlife, Jenn


    Aloha from Waikiki

    Comfort Spiral

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  3. Thanks for the video, Jenn. Nice way to start the day!

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  4. Thank you Jenn, I haven't laughed so hard in a long, long time! Have a wonderful weekend.
    Smiles

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  5. Well I don't mind being more respectful with my language but what happens if I am tuning up my car and the spark needs to be retarded? From now on I guess I will just say my auto is 'timing challenged'! Cute stuff! W.C.C.

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