Anne Curzan, associate dean of humanities and Arthur F. Thurnau professor of English at the University of Michigan, discussed what politically correct language is and why it’s crucial in her guest lecture at Iowa State University. “It is never just language,” she said, mentioning the sexist history of the English Language. Curzan pointed out that, until 2009, the names of the positions in the Congress used -man as and all-inclusive and general term, such as in “chairman,” which has been changed to “chair head” to encompass all potential candidates. She also emphasizes the proper use of pronouns, saying that it holds growing importance in the society. One might question as the article does, “is politically correct language a violation of freedom of speech or is it a practice of good manners and respect?” Curzan acknowledges that it’s very hard to get people to change their language, but believes that changing language can change attitudes.
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