Stanford Slammed for Putting 'American' on Forbidden Word List

www.newsweek.com/stanford-criticism-slammed-putting-american-forbidden-word-language-list-1768543

Excerpts:

A list of forbidden words recently published by Stanford University is drawing ire, even among faculty members at the institution.

The changing use of the words, part of what Stanford officially refers to as the Elimination of Harmful Language Initiative (EHLI), stems from a multi-phase, multi-year project that began in 2020.

Stanford explains as part of the EHLI published Monday that the intent of the initiative "is to eliminate many forms of harmful language, including racist, violent, and biased (e.g., disability bias, ethnic bias, ethnic slurs, gender bias, implicit bias, sexual bias) language in Stanford websites and code."

The website even includes a bolded disclaimer: "Content Warning: This website contains language that is offensive or harmful. Please engage with this website at your own pace."

Among the myriad changes is a shift from "American" to "U.S. citizen," due to the insinuation "that the U.S. is the most important country in the Americas" even though the Americas are composed of 42 countries overall.

Other words and terms that should no longer be used, according to the ELHI, include: "lame," "tone deaf" and "walk-in" as they "can trivialize the experience of people living with disabilities."

The term "spirit animal" is also nixed, as equating it with an animal that guides or protects "is to demean the significance of the term." As is the word "tribe," as Stanford says it has been "historically used to equate Indigenous people with savages."

And instead of saying "freshman," it is encouraged to use the words "frosh" or "first-year student" as it "lumps a group of students using masculine language and/or into gender binary groups that don't include everyone."

And instead of saying "freshman," it is encouraged to use the words "frosh"

Fun fact... Frosch is the German word for frog... ::)

I think these people have way too much time on their hands and I couldn't care less for their suggestions.
Language is a living thing. You can't just tell people to change it because some "elite thinkers" in their ivory tower think it's a good idea.

Also why do people get offended by language all the time nowadays? Seems to be the new favorite hobby of the world. As if we had no other problems.

Fun fact... Frosch is the German word for frog... ::)

I think these people have way too much time on their hands and I couldn't care less for their suggestions.
Language is a living thing. You can't just tell people to change it because some "elite thinkers" in their ivory tower think it's a good idea.

Also why do people get offended by language all the time nowadays? Seems to be the new favorite hobby of the world. As if we had no other problems.

Because there is nothing else to worry about in this day and age.

Because there is nothing else to worry about in this day and age.
You mean like a war in Europe, climate change, mass shootings, drug abuse, high inflation, a bad education system, non existing healthcare, high debt etc? ???

You mean like a war in Europe, climate change, mass shootings, drug abuse, high inflation, a bad education system, non existing healthcare, high debt etc? ???


You left out famine and pestilence.

You mean like a war in Europe, climate change, mass shootings, drug abuse, high inflation, a bad education system, non existing healthcare, high debt etc? ???


But at least the pandemic is over so there's really nothing to worry about, lol

Stanford Slammed for Putting 'American' on Forbidden Word List

www.newsweek.com/stanford-criticism-slammed-putting-american-forbidden-word-language-list-1768543

Excerpts:

A list of forbidden words recently published by Stanford University is drawing ire, even among faculty members at the institution.

The changing use of the words, part of what Stanford officially refers to as the Elimination of Harmful Language Initiative (EHLI), stems from a multi-phase, multi-year project that began in 2020.

Stanford explains as part of the EHLI published Monday that the intent of the initiative "is to eliminate many forms of harmful language, including racist, violent, and biased (e.g., disability bias, ethnic bias, ethnic slurs, gender bias, implicit bias, sexual bias) language in Stanford websites and code."

The website even includes a bolded disclaimer: "Content Warning: This website contains language that is offensive or harmful. Please engage with this website at your own pace."

Among the myriad changes is a shift from "American" to "U.S. citizen," due to the insinuation "that the U.S. is the most important country in the Americas" even though the Americas are composed of 42 countries overall.

Other words and terms that should no longer be used, according to the ELHI, include: "lame," "tone deaf" and "walk-in" as they "can trivialize the experience of people living with disabilities."

The term "spirit animal" is also nixed, as equating it with an animal that guides or protects "is to demean the significance of the term." As is the word "tribe," as Stanford says it has been "historically used to equate Indigenous people with savages."

And instead of saying "freshman," it is encouraged to use the words "frosh" or "first-year student" as it "lumps a group of students using masculine language and/or into gender binary groups that don't include everyone."


  ::)  ::)  ::)


...why do people get offended by language all the time nowadays?...


Why indeed?

But at least the pandemic is over so there's really nothing to worry about, lol

For the time being until other viruses come along.

For the time being until other viruses come along.


Well syphilis 8-P is making a strong comeback, although strictly speaking it is not a virus.

For the time being until other viruses come along.


Or another crisis. But people will only care if it's in the US, and/or if the media/social media tells them they have to care. Hence why nobody cares about the war in Ukraine except Ukrainians themselves.

Hence why nobody cares about the war in Ukraine except Ukrainians themselves.
I wouldn't say that at all. It might look like that in the US but Europe really does care a lot and it's an omnipresent topic here in the media. The military aid is constantly flowing and especially Poland is really going out of it's way to support Ukraine. The only thing that isn't send are modern IFVs and MBTs. But I guess that's just a question of time.
Europe also takes care of the millions of refugees that came from Ukraine. Germany alone houses and supplies more than a million of them. So to say that no one cares is a bit too pessimistic IMHO.

Or another crisis. But people will only care if it's in the US, and/or if the media/social media tells them they have to care. Hence why nobody cares about the war in Ukraine except Ukrainians themselves.


How about the billions we "United Statesians" are sending, the weapons and the training?  In my little town there are many signs of support for Ukraine - flags etc, also in other towns

I wouldn't say that at all. It might look like that in the US but Europe really does care a lot and it's an omnipresent topic here in the media. The military aid is constantly flowing and especially Poland is really going out of it's way to support Ukraine. The only thing that isn't send are modern IFVs and MBTs. But I guess that's just a question of time.
Europe also takes care of the millions of refugees that came from Ukraine. Germany alone houses and supplies more than a million of them. So to say that no one cares is a bit too pessimistic IMHO.


That's good to know. I don't have much awareness of what goes on outside the US. It just seems like the way NATO leaders act it gives the impression like THEY don't care. I know Japan is also very supportive as well.

In the US there are people who haven't cared since Day 1. I was about to curse someone out on IG because he commented he doesn't care about Ukraine, we should only take care of America. Some Americans, including politicians are cheering for the side of Russia/Putin. We had about a week or two of "thoughts and prayers" and "I stand with Ukraine" but since the Oscars people's attention seemed to shift to that, and one thing at a time after that whether it was Uvalde, overturning of Roe v. Wade, the Queen's funeral, the midterm elections, etc.

How about the billions we "United Statesians" are sending, the weapons and the training?  In my little town there are many signs of support for Ukraine - flags etc, also in other towns


Yeah, I occasionally see flags. I just wish it was handled better. Soon as Biden said we're not sending troops I lost what little respect I had for him.

Yeah, I occasionally see flags. I just wish it was handled better. Soon as Biden said we're not sending troops I lost what little respect I had for him.

Don't forget it were American Javelin missiles that stopped the Russian tanks' advance. It was American HIMARS that dried Russian troops of supplies and denied them the resources to keep on the offensive. It were American Stinger missiles that downed plenty of planes and helicopters and denied the Russian air force the desperately needed air superiority to conduct close air support for their troops. To my knowledge without American ammo supplies the Ukrainian artillery would have fallen silent a long time ago. Your country is still pretty much the logistical backbone of Ukraine right now. So don't be ashamed of that.

Maybe Cat should merge the last few posts with the Ukraine war thread as we have no officially completely derailed this thread. :-\\

Yeah, sorry to go off on a tangent. Anyhow for the topic of this thread, I was thinking to ask what about the nation of "America", would it also have to be called US, USA, US of A, or US and A (as Borat called it, lol)? What about the language of American?

Well syphilis 8-P is making a strong comeback, although strictly speaking it is not a virus.

I wonder if roseola is making a comeback too? I had that in 1977.

Or another crisis. But people will only care if it's in the US, and/or if the media/social media tells them they have to care. Hence why nobody cares about the war in Ukraine except Ukrainians themselves.

We only watch the news and what happens in other countries really doesn't pertain to us unless you live in that specific country.

Yeah, I occasionally see flags. I just wish it was handled better. Soon as Biden said we're not sending troops I lost what little respect I had for him.


Sending US troops to Ukraine would be tantamount to declaring war on Russia - not a good idea

Sending US troops to Ukraine would be tantamount to declaring war on Russia - not a good idea

I will say this again… the USA has no strategic interest in the Ukraine, yet its consistent meddling over there did everything but beg Putin to invade.

None of which, of course, justifies the invasion, but it all reflects what I have seen as a completely juvenile approach to American foreign policy over roughly the past 20 years from both sides of the aisle.

We only watch the news and what happens in other countries really doesn't pertain to us unless you live in that specific country.


But soon as it happens in one of the 50 States, it doesn't matter which state it's all the same, like when 9/11 happened and I was living in California at the time. Also in early 2020 people didn't care about COVID until it reached US soil.


I will say this again… the USA has no strategic interest in the Ukraine, yet its consistent meddling over there did everything but beg Putin to invade.

None of which, of course, justifies the invasion, but it all reflects what I have seen as a completely juvenile approach to American foreign policy over roughly the past 20 years from both sides of the aisle.


Probably because it's not an oil producing country. Meanwhile many in the US (including some politicians) are cheering for the side of Russia/Putin.

Probably because it's not an oil producing country. Meanwhile many in the US (including some politicians) are cheering for the side of Russia/Putin.


My view has nothing to do with oil. Prior to the invasion, and both before and after America’s meddling there in the past decade, the Ukraine was amongst the most corrupt countries on the face of the Earth. That’s no reason or justification for Russia to attack though.

Note that Zelenskyy’s main supporter funding his election was one Ihor Kolomoisky, whose corruption is such that he is barred from entry into the United States, and assets of his “front men” (two of which I have had brief dealings until I saw that they were thieves) have been seized by the US government, as they were funded by money plundered out of Ukrainian banks. Ol’ Ihor has backed any number of Ukrainian leaders and then turned the tables on them when they wanted a piece of his stolen money. After the war is over he’ll likely turn tables on Zelenskyy… that is Ihor’s pattern

The Ukrainian people, of course, have been screwed over royally by most of the players here. The USA has no strategic interest propping up a government that has consistently cheated its population in favor of its oligarchs and the politicians who feed at the oligarch trough.

But soon as it happens in one of the 50 States, it doesn't matter which state it's all the same, like when 9/11 happened and I was living in California at the time. Also in early 2020 people didn't care about COVID until it reached US soil.

Probably because it's not an oil producing country. Meanwhile many in the US (including some politicians) are cheering for the side of Russia/Putin.


Right, if something had happened in NYC then we're affected.