It could be construed as a black day for the English language � but not if you work in the public sector.
Dozens of quangos and taxpayer-funded organisations have ordered a purge of common words and phrases so as not to cause offence.
Among the everyday sayings that have been quietly dropped in a bid to stamp out racism and sexism are �whiter than white�, �gentleman�s agreement�, �black mark� and �right-hand man�.
The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has advised staff to replace the phrase �black day� with �miserable day�, according to documents released under freedom of information rules.
It points out that certain words carry with them a �hierarchical valuation of skin colour�. The commission even urges employees to be mindful of the term �ethnic minority� because it can imply �something smaller and less important�.
The National Gallery in London believes that the phrase �gentleman�s agreement� is potentially offensive to women and suggests that staff should replace it with �unwritten agreement� or �an agreement based on trust� instead. The term �right-hand man� is also considered taboo by the gallery, with �second in command� being deemed more suitable.
Many institutions have urged their workforce to be mindful of �gender bias� in language. The Learning and Skills Council wants staff to �perfect� their brief rather than �master� it, while the Newcastle University has singled out the phrase �master bedroom� as being problematic.
Advice issued by the South West Regional Development Agency states: �Terms such as �black sheep of the family�, �black looks� and �black mark� have no direct link to skin colour but potentially serve to reinforce a negative view of all things black. Equally, certain terms imply a negative image of �black� by reinforcing the positive aspects of white.
�For example, in the context of being above suspicion, the phrase �whiter than white� is often used. Purer than pure or cleaner than clean are alternatives which do not infer that anything other than white should be regarded with suspicion.�
The clampdown in the public sector has angered some of the country�s most popular writers.
Anthony Horowitz, author of the Alex Rider children�s spy books, said: �A great deal of our modern language is based on traditions which have now gone but it would be silly � and extremely inconvenient � to replace them all. A �white collar worker�, for example, probably doesn�t wear one. An �able seaman�, under new regulations, could well be neither. �Spanish practices� can happen all over Europe. We know what these phrases mean and we can find out from where they were derived. Banning them is just unnecessary.�
Marie Clair, spokeswoman for the Plain English Campaign, said: �Political correctness has good intentions but things can be taken to an extreme. What is really needed is a bit of common sense.�
So you think that it includes the "N-Word" or other highly offensive terms and phrases, think again!! Some of these phrases include "gentleman's agreement" (sexist), black mark (racist), right-hand man (sexists and discriminatory against lefty's everywhere), black sheep of the family (racist), and "white-collar worker" (racist). I really hope the diversity czar at the FCC looks closely at this and implements it here. Maybe we can reduce the size of the dictionary to a pamphlet.
I have a couple of questions about this. Would crackers have to find a new name due to the term being used as a racial slur against white's? If I do have a black mark on something, what do I have to call it now? Do we have to find a new name for nuts due to being potentiall sexist and offensive to those with mental illnesses? What would we call a white-collar worker? Oh, wait I can answer that one. They are called rich, evi capitalists. Whew, maybe this may not be as hard as I originally thought.
Come on people toughen up and use some common sense!!!!
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