Politically Incorrect Language

Beyond avoidance of stereotypes, there is an ongoing controversy about what constitutes "politically correct" (commonly called "PC") language. In today's world of diversity at all levels of national life, there is increased sensitivity about what words are used to describe minorities and other groups of people.

Such concern has merit, and writers should be sensitive to words that may offend individuals or groups. However, critics charge that a flood of euphemisms can cause a loss of clarity and may result in a kind of political censorship that is not healthy for freedom of expression. For example, some groups think the word "civilization" is polit­ically incorrect because it infers that some people are not civilized. Still others object to the word "disabled" and want to substitute "physically challenged" or "differently abled". Is a person an "alcoholic" or just "suffering from substance abuse"? Even the old term "Dutch treat" is under attack because it implies that Dutch people are cheap.

On another level, however, some suggestions seem quite logical. For example, in a global economy, American companies now refer to "international" sales because "for­eign" sounds ethnocentric. Writers are using terms like "Asian-American" instead of the now pejorative "Oriental". And currently, there is some argument as to whether "African-American" is more politically correct than "black"; both terms have their supporters.

Language, and its connotations, is constantly changing. The professional public relations writer must be aware of the changes and must make decisions on the basis of such factors as sensitivity to the audience, accuracy, and clarity of communication.