海角大神

Can we communicate with unbiased language?

A 鈥溾�� published on the University of New Hampshire (UNH) website thinks so. It provides speech parameters for issues like gender, immigrant status, race, and other hot topics. The guide was developed by students and staff in 2013 and subsequently published on the university鈥檚 website.

Here are several speech parameters it includes:

• 鈥減eople of advanced age鈥� not 鈥渙lder people鈥�
• 鈥減erson living at or below the poverty line鈥� not 鈥減oor person鈥�
• 鈥減erson of material wealth鈥� not 鈥渞ich鈥�
• 鈥渘on-disabled鈥� not 鈥渁ble-bodied鈥� or 鈥渨hole鈥�
• 鈥淯S citizen鈥� not 鈥淎merican鈥�
• 鈥減erson seeking asylum鈥� not 鈥渋llegal alien鈥�
• 鈥渢he average person鈥� not 鈥渢he average man鈥�

There鈥檚 also a 鈥溾�� that gives examples of non-binary pronouns used by some trans, genderqueer, and gender non-conforming individuals.

The guide describes language as 鈥渃omplicated鈥�, 鈥渋ntriguing,鈥� and 鈥渂eautiful鈥� and calls on UNH to navigate these complexities:

An integral part of UNH鈥檚 mission is to continue to build an inclusive learning community, and the first step toward our goal is awareness of any bias in our daily language. As we begin to understand bias, we explore the truths of hierarchy and oppression. When we free ourselves of bias, we are thus affirming identities that differ form our own. When we do not affirm another person鈥檚 identity, we are characterizing an individual as 鈥榣ess than鈥� or 鈥榦ther.鈥� This makes them invisible, and for some, it feels like a form of violence.

Conservative news sites have been quick to express their skepticism. , a right-wing news university watchdog, brought attention to the issue last week when it published an in-depth explanation of the guide.

University President Mark Huddleston has also expressed his opposition and said that the guide is not campus policy,聽

"While individuals on our campus have every right to express themselves, I want to make it absolutely clear that the views expressed in this guide are NOT the policy of the University of New Hampshire. I am troubled by many things in the language guide, especially the suggestion that the use of the term 鈥楢merican鈥� is misplaced or offensive,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he only UNH policy on speech is that it is free and unfettered on our campuses. It is ironic that what was probably a well-meaning effort to be 鈥榮ensitive鈥� proves offensive to many people, myself included.鈥�

The guide was allegedly created by a 鈥渟mall group of community members鈥� and appears on a special segment of the UNH website titled 鈥渋nclusive excellence.鈥� In other words, the guide was not produced by the administration, but reflects the opinions of one portion of the community.

But it raises good questions. The concept of bias-free language is especially prevalent in academic circles. , a writing website powered by Purdue University, gives similar tips on how to avoid sexist or stereotyped language. Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives also gives guidelines for bias-free communication.

Neither includes comments on the usage of 鈥淎merican.鈥澛�