The thesis of my paper is that prescriptions of politically correct language cause language change and may lead to an increasing equivocalness of language by incorporating euphemisms. To back up this argument, I will introduce the model of the so called euphemism treadmill created by linguist Steven Pinker. At first, a definition of the term political correctness will be given in the introduction. Furthermore, I will examine how language is changed through PC and through which mechanisms prescriptive speech codes emerge and can spread nationwide.
Additionally, due to the fact that the very first speech restrictions were set up on US high school campuses, I will also provide a survey in which I analyze the Self-attitude of students of the Philosophical Faculty (University of Cologne) towards politically correct language, with a special focus on nonsexist/genderneutral language. The results will be then compared to the current situation in the U.S.
Table of Contents
1). Introduction
1.1) Political Correctness – Definition and History of Political Correctness in the USA
2). Process of Political Correctness – Language Change from „above“
3). Critique on Political Correctness – Is PC going too far?
3.1). Euphemisms – Origins and Use
3.2). Political Correctness causes Equivocalness in Language
3.3). The Euphemism Treadmill
4). Survey on Non-Sexist Language at The University of Cologne
4.1). Results
5). Conclusion
6). Bibliography
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines how the prescriptions of politically correct language influence language change and potentially increase linguistic ambiguity through the incorporation of euphemisms. By analyzing the "euphemism treadmill" model and conducting a survey among students at the University of Cologne, the study contrasts student attitudes towards gender-neutral language with the prescriptive environments found at US universities.
- Historical development and definition of Political Correctness
- Sociolinguistic mechanisms of "language change from above"
- The role of euphemisms and language equivocalness
- Empirical analysis of student attitudes toward non-sexist language
Excerpt from the Book
3.3) The Euphemism Treadmill:
In his essay 'A Critique of Politically Correct Language' O'Neill underlines that the lexicology of a word does not have to be demeaning in general. Thus, he examines to what extent mentally retarded can be regarded as a bad term. Taken literally, the term just indicates that the referred person has a restricted mental process. Because of its accuracy, O'Neill claims, the meaning is completely neutral and precise (Oneill : 281). As he further explains, terms like idiot and moron were former medical terms to refer to various forms of mental retardation. It is the tone of voice, the context and the general attitude that transform these neutral terms into offensive ones. The former neutral meaning obtains an additional negative connotation that may become “imbued with the insult's implicit value judgments” (ebd). The more people use neutral forms as insults, the faster the term gets used in an insulting way – hence, a semantic change occurs.
In this case, politically correct language tries to remove the insulting words by replacing them with new terms. Still, a simple replacement of a word by another “does not change the underlying realities of the social dynamics that pertain to the subject” (282). A bully who used midget or little squirt before, will definitely use the new alleged neutral term vertically challenged in the same demeaning context. Very soon, the new word will be considered to be insulting and once more be replaced by another, non-offensive term. This procedure is equal to a vicious circle; a mechanism that was coined “the euphemism treadmill” by Stephen Pinker.
Summary of Chapters
1). Introduction: Defines the term political correctness and provides a historical overview of its evolution in the USA from the 1960s to modern speech codes.
1.1) Political Correctness – Definition and History of Political Correctness in the USA: Explains the origins of the movement and its shift from political alignment to an focus on verbal behavior and bias-free language.
2). Process of Political Correctness – Language Change from „above“: Analyzes how academic institutions and administrative bodies implement language reforms to discourage sexist and exclusionary language.
3). Critique on Political Correctness – Is PC going too far?: Examines the pushback against PC culture, highlighting concerns regarding censorship and the perceived vagueness of new terminology.
3.1). Euphemisms – Origins and Use: Discusses the linguistic function of euphemisms as a tool to mitigate offensive meaning and manage societal taboos.
3.2). Political Correctness causes Equivocalness in Language: Argues that replacing established terms with euphemisms can lead to linguistic ambiguity and obscure clear communication.
3.3). The Euphemism Treadmill: Introduces Steven Pinker's model to explain why language reform is often a cyclical process where new terms eventually acquire pejorative status.
4). Survey on Non-Sexist Language at The University of Cologne: Presents the methodology and findings of a survey investigating German students' awareness of university language guidelines.
4.1). Results: Compares the survey data regarding student attitudes toward gender-neutral language with the broader US-based context.
5). Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, confirming that PC language does cause semantic change, though its implementation varies significantly between the US and Germany.
6). Bibliography: Lists the academic sources and references used to support the research.
Keywords
Political Correctness, Euphemism Treadmill, Language Change, Gender-neutral Language, Speech Codes, Linguistic Equivocalness, Non-sexist Language, Sociolinguistics, Bias-free Language, University of Cologne, Semantic Change, Discriminatory Language, Prescriptivism, Social Dynamics
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper explores the phenomenon of political correctness and its impact on language change, specifically focusing on how prescriptive speech codes and the use of euphemisms alter communication.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The study covers the history of political correctness, the mechanism of "language change from above," the use of euphemisms, and the specific application of gender-neutral language at a university level.
What is the main research question or goal?
The goal is to determine if politically correct language prescriptions actually cause semantic language change and to analyze the role of the "euphemism treadmill" in this process.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author uses a literature-based theoretical framework, the "euphemism treadmill" model by Steven Pinker, and a primary empirical survey conducted with 80 students at the University of Cologne.
What is addressed in the main body of the work?
The main body details the evolution of speech codes, the critical discourse surrounding PC, a theoretical analysis of euphemisms, and a detailed empirical study of how students perceive and implement gender-neutral terminology.
Which keywords characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as Political Correctness, Euphemism Treadmill, Language Change, Gender-neutral Language, and Speech Codes.
How do German students differ from US students regarding PC awareness?
The study concludes that students at the University of Cologne are significantly less aware of university-enforced speech codes compared to their counterparts in the US, where such regulations are more strictly implemented.
What is the "Euphemism Treadmill" theory?
Coined by Steven Pinker, this theory describes a cyclical process where a neutral term is introduced to replace an offensive one, only to eventually acquire a negative connotation itself, necessitating yet another replacement.
Does this paper claim that PC language is harmful?
The paper avoids taking a strictly negative stance; instead, it objectively investigates whether PC prescriptions succeed in changing language and society, noting that these changes often introduce linguistic ambiguity.
- Quote paper
- Valera Tokarev (Author), 2016, Political Correctness. Language Change from Above, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/382469
