For your information______
The term "political correctness" or PC is not new to Western and particularly American society. To be politically correct means to behave and speak in such way that you don't offend anyone. For example, as a man you wouldn't tell a dirty joke about women in front of a woman or you wouldn't make fun of a particular ethnic group to a person who was part of that ethnicity. In the past we called this politeness but nowadays it's called "political correctness". The idea to show respect to everybody is good, but as it so often happens, people soon started to overdo it. Many American men never open a door for a woman, or offer to pay for her in a restaurant anymore because they don't want to offend her. You may ask: How can opening a door offend anybody? Some women think that if a man opens a door for a woman, he demonstrates to her that he thinks she is weak and can't take care of herself.
Political correctness has changed the language too. Older people are not called "old" anymore because it may offend them, so they are officially called "senior citizens". But a lot of people think political correctness is nonsense. In fact, the term is sometimes used ironically, especially when somebody uses awkward language instead of more traditional words to describe someone.
10 This is a list of politically correct expressions which are generally used in modern English. Try to match these expressions with their more traditional equivalents.
Model: an old person — a senior citizen
The term "political correctness" or PC is not new to Western and particularly American society. To be politically correct means to behave and speak in such way that you don't offend anyone. For example, as a man you wouldn't tell a dirty joke about women in front of a woman or you wouldn't make fun of a particular ethnic group to a person who was part of that ethnicity. In the past we called this politeness but nowadays it's called "political correctness". The idea to show respect to everybody is good, but as it so often happens, people soon started to overdo it. Many American men never open a door for a woman, or offer to pay for her in a restaurant anymore because they don't want to offend her. You may ask: How can opening a door offend anybody? Some women think that if a man opens a door for a woman, he demonstrates to her that he thinks she is weak and can't take care of herself.
Political correctness has changed the language too. Older people are not called "old" anymore because it may offend them, so they are officially called "senior citizens". But a lot of people think political correctness is nonsense. In fact, the term is sometimes used ironically, especially when somebody uses awkward language instead of more traditional words to describe someone.
10 This is a list of politically correct expressions which are generally used in modern English. Try to match these expressions with their more traditional equivalents.
Model: an old person — a senior citizen
