posted July 27, 2006 12:59 AM         

From Wikapedia:

The "euphemism treadmill"

"Euphemisms often evolve over time into taboo words themselves through a process described by W.V.O. Quine, and more recently dubbed 'the euphemism treadmill' by Steven Pinker. (cf. Gresham's Law in economics).

Words originally intended as euphemisms may lose their euphemistic value, acquiring the negative connotations of their referents. In some cases, they may be used mockingly and become dysphemistic.

For example, the term "concentration camp" to describe camps used to house civilian prisoners was used by the British during the Second Boer War, primarily because it sounded bland and inoffensive. However, after the Third Reich used the expression to describe their death camps, the term gained enormous negative connotation. Since then, new terms have been invented as euphemisms for them, such as internment camps, resettlement camps, etc.

Also, in some versions of English, toilet room, itself a euphemism, was replaced with bathroom and water closet, which were replaced (respectively) with rest room and W.C.

Connotations easily change over time. Idiot was once a neutral term, and moron a similar one. Negative senses of a word tend to crowd out neutral ones, so the word retarded was pressed into service to replace them. Now that too is considered rude, used commonly as an insult of a person, thing, or idea. As a result, new terms like mentally challenged or special have replaced retarded. In a few decades, calling someone special may well be a grave insult, and indeed among many young school students, it is already a common term of abuse, if not yet a particularly grave one. A similar progression occurred with

lame → crippled → handicapped → disabled → differently-abled

although in that case the meaning has also broadened; a dyslexic or colorblind person would not be termed crippled. In the early 1960s, Bill Veeck, who was missing part of a leg, argued against the then-favored euphemism "handicapped", saying he preferred "crippled" because it was merely descriptive and did not carry connotations of limiting one's capability the way "handicapped" (and, in fact, all of its subsequent euphemisms) seem to do. In some cases, "differently-abled" would be the only accurate description of a person in any case: individuals with Asperger Syndrome (an Autistic spectrum disorder) often have an above-average IQ and occasionally exhibit savant abilities, but may be mind blind and tend to have a much lower EQ than non-autistics, resulting in significantly affected communication and socialization abilities. Likewise wrestler Kyle Maynard, a congenital amputee with only vestigial arms and legs, is demonstrably not "disabled" by his condition.

It can apply to naming of racial or ethnic groups as well, when proposed euphemisms become successively "corrupted". For example:

colored → negro → black → African-American

This particular treadmill was mocked by Sinbad on Saturday Night Live, wherein a white character during a U.S. Civil War sketch refers to African-Americans as "negros", to which Sinbad replies, "Please, we prefer the more respectable 'boy.'"

posted July 27, 2006 03:37 PM         

Trying to be policically correct can be a real pain.

I have strong feelings on some of these terms.I can say 'people of color', but if I said 'colored ppl'-I would get linched. I'm just a dumb(used to mean mute) white girl, and I don't get it all. When I see someone of African decent, how do I know if they are African-American, Hatian, Jamacan..., and what about the ppl that came to this county recently? What about those born in this country that have the same status as American as I do, but just happens to be black.

I am an American. I am white. White has been a 'pc' term for hundreds of years. Why now is it 'caucasion? Or why aren't we called European-Americans?

I was born in America, as were my parents & grandparents. That makes me native-American. Those that greeted the pilgrims were the Original-Americans.

Where does it end? How are we suposed to be politically correct when the terms keep changing?

posted July 27, 2006 07:41 PM         

I'm a minority- but I don't see it as anymore that a different shade of tan and a few different traditions. I'm American first

I do like how scumbag came about...

posted July 28, 2006 09:27 PM         

I agree whole heartedly.

I am just an American.

I would be very sad if I hurt someone that had a personal reason for their beliefs.