How is "politically correct" calculated? How do we know whether an expression returns a correct or incorrect result? In mathematics, that is not a problem (or is, until a solution is found).
In our regular discourse, however, any expression can return a wrong result, independent of its contents. Take "Negro" candy from Subotica. It's been called that since the inception, which is probably buried in at least a century of history. The word simply means black, and this candy is black, being made mostly of licorice and aniseed. As anyone who tried to name a product knows, you need a word that will be distinctive and remind the buyer of the product - and going for an expression from a foreign language has always worked. Except nowadays it changed the context, and became politicallyerroneous wrong incorrect.
The replacement expressions are sometimes ridiculous. Why was stewardess replaced with a flight attendant? It was far better while there was someone to take stewardship of the flight. Now it's only attended, like an evening course. Speaking of air transport, they are temporally lost just like GW2B was spatially. He always referred to "this part of the world", not knowing exactly where he was. Airports don't have a now, they have an "at this time". Just listen to them.
So what's incorrect with "politically correct"? Its applicability. In politics, there is no exactness, there is no mathematical algorithm which can be used to yield a result, which would then be correct if you followed the algorithm, or incorrect if you erred. In politics, it does not compute.
Why 'correct', then? IMO, 'politically correct' is an euphemism for 'euphemism'. You don't call it shit, you call it stool, but then pretend that you didn't use an euphemism, you say you have politically corrected it.
Which is why I'd gladly shove all those political correctors into a correctional ease, aka facility. Let them correct each other all day long and wide, and leave our languages alone.
In our regular discourse, however, any expression can return a wrong result, independent of its contents. Take "Negro" candy from Subotica. It's been called that since the inception, which is probably buried in at least a century of history. The word simply means black, and this candy is black, being made mostly of licorice and aniseed. As anyone who tried to name a product knows, you need a word that will be distinctive and remind the buyer of the product - and going for an expression from a foreign language has always worked. Except nowadays it changed the context, and became politically
The replacement expressions are sometimes ridiculous. Why was stewardess replaced with a flight attendant? It was far better while there was someone to take stewardship of the flight. Now it's only attended, like an evening course. Speaking of air transport, they are temporally lost just like GW2B was spatially. He always referred to "this part of the world", not knowing exactly where he was. Airports don't have a now, they have an "at this time". Just listen to them.
So what's incorrect with "politically correct"? Its applicability. In politics, there is no exactness, there is no mathematical algorithm which can be used to yield a result, which would then be correct if you followed the algorithm, or incorrect if you erred. In politics, it does not compute.
Why 'correct', then? IMO, 'politically correct' is an euphemism for 'euphemism'. You don't call it shit, you call it stool, but then pretend that you didn't use an euphemism, you say you have politically corrected it.
Which is why I'd gladly shove all those political correctors into a correctional ease, aka facility. Let them correct each other all day long and wide, and leave our languages alone.
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