Free Republic

He’s my boss; her dog is cute; they have an exam today — pronouns are a part of speech we use to refer to ourselves and others. They’re an essential component of language — and, as of the last few years, among its most hotly contested, too. Some of the most common words in the English language have gender markers, including pronouns. But not all of them are binary. Consider the singular “they,” preferred by some nonbinary and trans people for whom gendered pronouns do not fit. And then there are neopronouns (“new” pronouns), gender-neutral or nonbinary pronouns that are...

Over a third of the population of the UK are not aware that so-called “transgender women” are in fact biological males, as campaigners accuse the LGBT movement and the legacy media of adopting “intentionally” confusing lingo to muddy the debate around transgenderism. A survey conducted by the policy analysis firm Murray Blackburn Mackenzie (MBM) found that 35 per cent of Britons incorrectly believe a “transgender woman” was someone who was born as a biological woman or were unclear about what the term meant. The poll went on to find that there was even more confusion over the term “trans woman”,...

A Ron DeSantis administration would begin with a bureaucratic bloodbath, the Florida governor vowed – using language that had some potential supporters feeling queasy. We’re going to have all these deep state people. You know, we’re going to start slitting throats on Day One,' he said. That came after a pledge about cracking down on Mexican drug cartels. 'At the border, they’re going to be shot stone, cold dead,' he said, according to New Hampshire's NPR affiliate .

George Orwell taught us that control over the terms used to discuss consequential subjects is a key element of tyranny. It's a lesson that the left took to heart as a weapon, not as a caution against despotism. No better example exists today than the language of sex, which the left has asserted control over, immensely assisted by its dominance of the major media organs. Calling genital mutilation "gender-affirming care" is the most blatant example of bizarro-world terminology since calling abortion "reproductive health care" and its advocacy as "choice." Virtually the entire medical, academic, and journalistic establishments employ the term...

Poland is introducing new language requirements for foreign nationals seeking EU Long-term Residence Permits. Starting June 24, 2023, applicants must demonstrate a B1 level proficiency in Polish. Learn about the expanded acceptable certifications and the benefits of these language skills in fostering integration and employability. Poland is set to introduce new language rules that will impact foreign nationals seeking an EU Long-term Residence Permit. These rules, which will take effect on June 24, 2023, require applicants to demonstrate a confirmed knowledge of Polish at the B1 level. This move aims to ensure that immigrants have a basic understanding of the...

Immerse yourself in the mesmerizing world of ancient languages with our captivating video. Experience the enchanting sounds of bygone civilizations as realistic characters bring them to life. Journey through time as you listen to the melodic tones of forgotten tongues, each carefully researched and expertly voiced. From the mysterious cadence of Egyptian hieroglyphics to the lyrical beauty of Latin, let the echoes of the past transport you to a realm of linguistic wonder. Discover the linguistic heritage of our ancestors and witness the power of language in preserving the legacy of ancient civilizations. Prepare to be captivated as history's forgotten...

The Biden administration has been accused of peddling 'woke madness' after a top U.S. government watchdog banned the use of gendered language in the workplace. Leaked internal memos obtained by DailyMail.com show the Government Accountability Office forbids employees from using male and female terms. The agency, whose role is to scrutinize administration spending, issued the bizarre diktat in October 2022 at the behest of its so-called 'chief diversity management officer.'

It has become abundantly clear that Democrats and other leftists share nothing in common with the rest of America. They do not even share the same language. The following is a list of words, and non-words, and terminology the left uses. Some on the list may seem innocuous, but the reality is the left has completely different definitions. The list contains the language of all the frauds the left perpetrate, from climate change to sexual perversions. This is the language used by groomer teachers, the media, large corporations, the entertainment industry, politicians, judges and justices, activists, and everyday Democrats.It is...

While Lithuanian has changed, it changed more slowly than other Indo-European languages and so the contemporary language has features similar to those of such ancient ones as Sanskrit, Greek and Latin. Traditional Lithuanian houses are often adorned with a horse motif. The twin horse heads are known as ‘Ašvieniai’. In Lithuanian mythology, the Ašvieniai are divine twins portrayed as pulling the carriage of the sun god (Saule) through the sky. That their name sounds uncannily familiar to Indians is on account of the fact that the term and other details pertaining to their portrayal are akin to the Ashwin twins...

On its “Inclusive Language” website, UNC-Chapel Hill reminds readers that words have consequences: “To fully represent the diversity of our students, faculty, staff and everyone in our community,” UNC states, “it is important to use language that supports [our] values.” Such prose is standard fare on equivalent sites across higher education. Yet a discerning reader might be a little surprised by one sentence on the UNC site, specifically: “Carolina is committed to creating an inclusive and equitable learning environment for every Tar Heel.” As the previously mentioned reader already knows, “Tar Heel” is a term with a messy history. Though...

China claims that corona virus came from an old bat, but Nancy Pelosi denies being involved. "Payday" candy bar is changing its name because it's offensive to those who don't work If the current power grid can't handle a night of 20 degrees temperatures without rolling blackouts, how are we going to plug-in 100 million electric cars at night? Are there any countries that tax their citizens and send some of it to Americans? Imagine, if you will, a world where every tweet and meme must be fact checked but not a ballot. How to stop drunk drivers from killing...

Two ancient clay tablets discovered in Iraq and covered from top to bottom in cuneiform writing contain details of a "lost" Canaanite language that has remarkable similarities with ancient Hebrew. The tablets, thought to be nearly 4,000 years old, record phrases in the almost unknown language of the Amorite people, who were originally from Canaan — the area that's roughly now Syria, Israel and Jordan — but who later founded a kingdom in Mesopotamia. These phrases are placed alongside translations in the Akkadian language, which can be read by modern scholars. In effect, the tablets are similar to the famous...

The Minnesota Legislature is on a roll.Of course, most politicians are embarrassing, so I shouldn’t be too shocked at how stupid and morally vacuous they can be. But still, I keep hoping that there are limits, and I keep getting disappointed.As I was perusing my local paper, the Star Tribune, I ran across this Op/Ed arguing that schools should provide menstrual products to students.I don’t have a problem with that. I have never been a teenage girl, but I can imagine the embarrassment of needing menstrual products and not happening to have one. While I usually scoff at the use...

USC’s School of Social Work is removing the word “field” from its curriculum and practice, arguing that it “could be considered anti-black or anti-immigrant” to say someone is “going into the field” or conducting “field work.” The university explains, “our goal is not just to change language but to honor and acknowledge inclusion and reject white supremacy, anti-immigrant and anti-blackness ideologies.” “We have decided to remove the term ‘field’ from our curriculum and practice and replace it with ‘practicum.’ This change supports anti-racist social work practice by replacing language that could be considered anti-black or anti-immigrant in favor of inclusive...

Has anyone learned a foreign language as an adult using an online website? I’m looking to learn a foreign language via online “schooling” and was hoping to get some FReepers feedback. Thank you in advance.

One of the nation’s most prestigious academic institutions is urging its students to avoid using the term “American.” Yet it’s not the first time Stanford or other institutions have altered language policies to reflect the political or cultural climate. Here's a list of seven other times political, religious, educational and government entities have tried to strip certain words or gendered language from our lexicon. 1. Stanford University bans the word AmericanAfter launching its Elimination of Harmful Language Initiative (EHLI) in May, Stanford University published a list of “harmful language” that it plans to remove from all Stanford websites and other...

Samuel Johnson’s “Dictionary of the English Language,” first published in 1755, defines the word “woman” as, “The female of the human race.” And until October of 2022, the word “woman” was still defined as, “An adult female human being” in the Cambridge Dictionary. What transpired on the topic during the intervening 267 years? Not much. Science confirmed what men and women have known since Adam and Eve began talking past each other — not only do the sexes have immutable physiological differences, down to their genetic matter, but they observe, act, and think differently as well. Yet Cambridge now says...

Former first lady Michelle Obama said Monday on CBS’s “The Late Show” that former President Donald Trump was unqualified to be president and his language and behavior brought the chaos of the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. Colbert said, “I don’t think you and I have had a chance to talk about this yet, but there you are, you and your husband, after your eight years of service, you are citizens at home, watching January 6 unfold. Like everybody else but of course, these are your colleagues. This is the place you used to work. You know those people, that...

Desperate Democrat candidates in Illinois (and I presume nationwide) have resorted to some particularly disturbing moves in recent years, and especially in the closing weeks of the campaign, in hopes of convincing their base to stick with them and some remote, gullible fraction of the middle to choose them as well. We can no longer look merely at clear issues – where a candidate is pro-tax or anti-tax, pro-Soviet or anti-Soviet, pro-abortion or anti-abortion. No, today’s Democrat candidates - well aware that their traditional base is running for the exits - twist the language in an effort to hide their...

It’s ‘democracy’ vs. the ‘stochastic terrorists’ — AKA, the Regime vs. the People. Do you stand outside abortion mills, praying for intercession or singing hymns? Or do you possibly minister to the mothers as they transport their unborn to the medical gallows? Do you oppose the physical and physiological mutilation of children at Big Pharma “gender” centers? Do you believe that schools should teach the basics, rather than cultural Marxism and deviant sexual ideology? Do you maybe, just maybe, believe the government could be lying about “official” narratives? Odds are, you’re probably a “terrorist.” Enter a novel, and rather ingenious...