Bias-free language guide at University of NH

[TLSnell1981]

I'm not saying I'm offended, I'm totally not. I'm just saying I see the point of how some words are offensive. If you have children and one is/was called the wrong gender 'oh what a cute boy you have', did you not correct the person? I'm betting you did, even if you won't admit it here.

If it happened, it obviously didn't scar me for life. I don't remember any incidents. Why would I not admit such a thing? It wouldn't upset me. Not an earth shattering event.

 

[kaytieeldr]

People are dumb.

Oh, wait...what's another word for dumb that is not offensive?

Intellect-deficient?

Otherly-intelligent?

If you think labels don't matter, try this. Next time your mailman/lady comes by, point to them and say to your husband..hey..there's our mail lady, I wonder what HIS name is. See if you don't get the strangest look or comment.

My postal carrier has a warped sense of humor. Next time I encounter this being, I'll ask.

Nope, Yanks refers to US citizens. Even all y'all from the southeast of this nation and Bostonians.

What nationality encompasses any for of the word Yank or Yankees in its country name in any format that would identify U.S. nationals as being from the United States of America? How in any way does this compare to Canadian, or Mexican, or Brazilian, or French, or...?

Referred to as Kleenex by whom? When asking for one, I ask for a tissue.

Brand eponyms. Tissue is the vert thin but not particularly absorbent paper used in gift-wrapping.

 

[fly girl]

* deleted to include quote (next one down) so the context of my post would make sense *

 

[fly girl]

I'm not saying I'm offended, I'm totally not. I'm just saying I see the point of how some words are offensive. If you have children and one is/was called the wrong gender 'oh what a cute boy you have', did you not correct the person? I'm betting you did, even if you won't admit it here.

When my daughter was an infant she was referred to as a boy when we were at the store. The cashier mentioned how cute he was. I had neither the energy nor care to correct it because when they are little you really can't tell.

It wasn't a big deal. It happened a few more times and rarely did I correct it. (Corrections only occurred for acquaintances I'd see again. Not strangers.)

 

[Unas]

The term "Yankee" and its contracted form "Yank" have several interrelated meanings, all referring to people from the United States. Its various senses depend on the scope of context. Most broadly:

• Outside the United States, "Yank" is used informally to refer to any American, including Southerners

 

[EMom]

But Southern Americans will look at you as if you have two heads if you use this term to refer to them. Not only does it make no sense to them, it makes the opposite of sense. It is no part of "United States of America." On the other hand, you can easily see where "American" comes from.