Posted on 12/03/2004 8:12:38 AM PST by lindor
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The computer term "master/slave," which was banned as racially offensive by a Los Angeles County purchasing department, was named the most politically incorrect term of the year on Thursday.
Among other terms on the top 10 list of politically charged words and phrases, issued by the word usage group Global Language Monitor, were "non-same sex marriage" to describe heterosexual unions, "waitron" for waiter or waitress and "higher being" for God, a term some people found too religious.
"We found 'master/slave' to be the most egregious example of political correctness in 2004," said Paul JJ Payack, president of The Global Language Monitor.
"This is but one more example of the insertion of politics into every facet of modern life, down to the level of the control processes of computer technology."
In computer terminology, "master/slave" refers to primary and secondary hard disk drives. But a Los Angeles county purchasing department told vendors in late 2003 that the term was offensive and violated the region's cultural diversity. The county's department of affirmative action undertook a hunt to replace it on packages.
After a public uproar, the county backed down. Payack said that while the incident took place in late 2003, debate about it grew enormously in 2004.
The phrase "non-same sex marriage," was used by a former congressman who did not want to offend gay people by using the term traditional marriage, Payack said.
Also on the list this year were "Red Sox lover," to use in place of "Yankee hater," "progressive" for classical liberal, "incurious" rather than more impolite invectives for President Bush, "insurgents" instead of terrorists in Iraq, "baristas" for waiters, and "first year student" rather than freshman.
When I came off active duty in back in 1993, we were being discouraged from using the term "slave cable".
"Donkey d*ck" was still OK, though.
Hmm what about male and female connectors? Or even worse a "gender-bender" for your DB9.. Mother/daughter boards? Even "packet sniffer" sounds kind of bad...I'll have to be careful next time I tell some one to "pull the log"... You can't worry about every word being used... These guys are crazy...
Male and Female when it applies to cables??
Well, I know the BDSM crowd ain't payin' this no nevermind either.
Master and slave are just words. It's the context that makes them racist or not. Unfortunately, it seems that this concept is too complex for some people to understand.
Owl_Eagle
”Guns Before Butter.”
Did you see SP on Wednesday with Paris Hilton and Mr. Slave?
Misleading headline. Global Language Monitor, who compiled the list, is saying the PC outrage at the master/slave computer term is the offensive part.
Am I correct in assuming that the term "Fudgepackers" is probably out now also?
They redefined celebrity-bashing in that episode. It was a jaw-dropping joy to observe.
Our tax money at work. Brilliant.
I always use "cable select" for just that reason.
Suggestive of another racist term. While in the Army, a guy from Georgia suggested that I be one.
"progressive" for classical liberal
"libertarian" would be closer to the truth.
Will they replace the electrical male/female to pitcher/catcher?
Next up: In Los Angeles County Airlines will have to rename their in-flight data recorders "African-American Box".
Actually, the term "African American" is discriminatory, as not all blacks are from Africa. African Americans therefore get preferential status, while other blacks are excluded from special (discriminatory) programs set up exclusively for African Americans.
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