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!
