Political Correctness

Language is never neutral territory. However, it is my belief that it should be,

because after all, the sole purpose of language is to communicate and to commun
icate clearly. It's only made controversial by a minority, who are usually ill e
ducated and because the better educated allow to them get away with it.
In my first year history studies in South Africa we have been given the followin
g activity to carry out;
Identify words or phrases in a (specified) extract which modern historians would
not use.
The model answers given were; Hottentot, tribes, wretched creatures, natives, hi
gher races.
I should like to state up front that I’m in no way criticizing grammar, pronunci
ation, spelling or accent as I most definitely am not qualified to do so. I am t
he only adult I know of in South Africa, who is unable to produce a piece of pap
er to prove that they have passed an examination in the English language. Whethe
r this says more about the abysmal standard of my English or the teaching of Eng
lish in South Africa, I’ll leave others to decide.
Whilst I’m not worried about the non English words being discouraged, as I don’t
normally use them myself, I’m concerned with the removal of many valuable words
from the lexicon, especially when no suitable replacements are offered, as was
the case here. As a monoglot Hiberno-English speaker, I find that there are less
and less English words that can be used, as some politically correct person, us
ually a non native (useful word isn’t it) English speaker takes umbrage at them.

Whilst the problem does not exist in discussions within my own tribe (another us
eful word), my dilemma is I am beginning to run out of politically correct words
and terms, which may be used these days in societies with large non native Engl
ish speaking groups, as is the case in South Africa. I therefore tend to steer c
lear of discussion with these groups in case I inadvertally offend.
The word “Native” has a meaning and nuance beyond the word town, home, locality,
village, parish or even townland, which are all words in my vocabulary. I do ho
wever feel that I describe myself better when I say that I’m a native of “Tralee
”, rather than when I say “I come from Tralee”. It carries within it a sense of
belonging which no other word has. It is also used extensively in a poetic sense
, as can be seen in the lyrics of the immigrant songs composed and sung by immig
rants all over this world and in that context it brings one closer to one’s root
s.
The word “tribe” also has a meaning that goes beyond the term family and it has
a less derogatory meaning than the term “clan”. It describes persons who share a
common language, culture and belief system. I would not normally use this word
“clan” except within the native English speaking community. Within the Scots/Iri
sh tribal system the term “clan” has a special meaning as belonging to an extend
family who share the same surname. The term “clan” is from the Gaelic and its a
ctual meaning is children of a family sharing the same surname. Why non native E
nglish speakers do not object to being referred to as “children” is beyond me bu
t may have something to do with their lack of understanding of the true origin o
f the word. It may be a case of “ignorance is bliss”. It would however make more
sense if the word “clan” was banned when referring to groups of people.
And how can I forget my early childhood that I spent with my Nanny and Granda in
western Ireland as a little boy and it was as a hurt little boy that I went cry
ing to my Nanny to banish my pain after falling and skinning my knees, The cure
was to be enveloped in her arms and to hear the sympathetic and endearing words
“there, there, you poor wretched crater (creature) come in and I’ll make it bett
er”. How in Gods name can removing such soothing words help to improve the Engli
sh language?
It is my belief that any word, expression or term can be made derogatory simply
by facial expression, tone of voice or body language. Some are past masters of t
his art and one has only to recall the term “he can tell you to go to hell so th
at you look forward to the journey”. I’m also sure that it is only a minority of
native English speakers, who are usually the ill educated ones, who refer to ot
hers in a derogatory way. It is therefore unfair on the majority of us who use o
ur language correctly and as it has been handed down to us from a time before th
e term political correctness was conceived.
We should be on our guard as we and our language will be the losers, if we are t
o allow people whose learnt English language skills, are, to say the least fault
y and which may also have been learnt at the hands of other non native English s
peakers. It leaves a lot to be desired if we allow those non native English spea
kers to dictate which words are acceptable or otherwise.
My suggestion is that we improve the level of English teaching in South Africa,
so that non native English speakers learn to understand the language correctly.
This can best be done by prohibiting the teaching of English by non native Engli
sh speakers and employing native English speakers as teachers of English.
Sorry for having carried on so long, it probably comes from having kissed the Bl
arney Stone as a young boy.