University’s Language Guide: The Term ‘American’ Is ‘Problematic’

Posted 2015-07-30 02:23 by Grunt Report

The University of New Hampshire has released a “bias-free language guide” that claims the word “American” is “problematic.”

According to the guide, the term “American” often fails to recognize South America. Instead, the guide suggests using “U.S. citizen” or “resident of the U.S.” to describe an American.

The language guide is intended to “encourage thoughtful expression in terms that are sensitive to the diverse identities and experiences in our community.”

It says:

Language is an incredibly complex phenomenon that often reflects and affects our identities. There is wide diversity among us in usage and understanding of language based on our age, place of origin, culture and class, among other identities. This guide is not a means to censor but rather to create dialogues of inclusion where all of us feel comfortable and welcomed.