Friday, April 27, 2007

The Dr Johnsons of Political Correctese

http://www.di2.nu/files/Lefty.html
http://www.theacru.org/blog/2007/04/a_dictionary_to_educate_the_politically_incorrect/

Excellent efforts to translate the language of Political Correctness into English. Unusually, the English website shows a lot more effort and thought than the American one. One teensy weensy criticism- the Lefty Lexicon doesn't really discriminate between the trendy language of British governance, and Politically-Correctese. If Political Correctness has a definite constituency, it is everyone in Britain (and the rest of the developed world) who hates our traditional ways of life and political orthodoxies. There are a significant number of these people in the Labour party, who govern the country of course. But Political Correctness can be found all across the nation, in workplaces, town halls, pubs, social clubs and sports facilities. The trendy language of government incorporates a number of Political Correctnesses. But it is a separate thing, and many of its unique terms are not particularly Politically Correct in nature. I hate to carp, but I am after all the child of two English teachers.

So I would like to encourage the Lefty Lexicon crowd to create from their current Lexicon two Lexici (?), The Politically Correct Lexicon, and the Trendy Government Lingo Lexicon. Or maybe I'll do it. What I must congratulate the Lefty Lexicon folk on is that their definitions are both thoughtfull and funny. Humour is one of our most potent weapons against the earnest and dreary Politically Correct legions. That, and surprise of course...

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