Dear Journa-Nerds:World Vision was just delivered the new 2006 AP Stylebook, which I assume was just published. Here are some new or changed entries that I find useful for my everyday life and hope you do too:
retarded: Apparently it is politically correct to say mentally retarded. “Do not use retard,” says the AP Stylebook. Ladies and Gentlemen, the stylebook has moved into listing socially PC words and slang. I wonder if they’re going to add an entry soon that says: Homosexual: Do not use “fag.” I hope so.
Taser: The correct spelling and capitalization of an electronic control device or stun gun. Did you know that TASER is actually the acronym for Thomas A. Swift’s Electronic Rifle? Fascinating stuff.
20-something: Since this is in the title of my blog, it’s good to know that I used it correct, even before it was in the stylebook. Man, I’m good.
Yahoo: “a trademark for an online computer service.” Phew. I was confused as to what “Yahoo” was, and am glad they cleared up my misperceived notion of it being a chocolate-flavored drink in a yellow bottle.
gay: Ok. So I read further down my list of “changes and updates” in the new AP Stylebook, and apparently gay was added. The gist of it says that lesbian is more common when writing about woman-on–woman action, and that gay is actually preferred over the term homosexual, except in clinical contexts or references to sexual activity. Apparently I’ve been belittling gay people this whole time if I’ve ever used the term homosexual. I feel so ashamed.
transgender: Here’s a piece of advice folks: always use the pronoun that the transgender (not transsexual) prefers. If they don’t specify, then use the pronoun that they currently look like…he/she/him/her. I guess I’ll stop referring to them as “Shims.”
blog: Blog has been deleted from the AP Stylebook, therefore, this blog doesn’t really exist.
Love,
Jeanna
P.S. I had a near-death experience this weekend and have decided to share it with all of you since I’m lucky to be alive, and you’re all lucky to still be reading my blogs. Check back…
1 comments:
One of my favorite posts by far. Journa-nerds unite!
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