Changes

==Examples==

==Examples==

An example of political correctness is the changing terminology used to described handicapped people.  In the past the term "crippled" was perfectly acceptable and not considered offensive.  At some point, Americans like Senate Republican leader [[Bob Dole]] decided "crippled" was degrading and the preferred term changed to "handicapped."  This, too, was eventually deemed offensive and "disabled" became the preferred term.  Today, even "disabled" is  considered degrading to some and "differently abled" and "physically challenged" are used by those people.  The same can be said for the changing uses of terms for Black Americans:  "Negro" and "colored," once perfectly acceptable terms, became offensive during the 1970s and "Afro-American" and "Black" came into use, which in turn gave way to "[[African Americans|African-American]]," and in broader usage, "people of color."   

An example of political correctness is the changing terminology used to described handicapped people.  In the past the term "crippled" was perfectly acceptable and not considered offensive.  At some point, Americans like Senate Republican leader [[Bob Dole]] decided "crippled" was degrading and the preferred term changed to "handicapped."  This, too, was eventually deemed offensive and "disabled" became the preferred term.  Today, even "disabled" is  considered degrading to some and "differently abled" and "physically challenged" are used by those people.  The same can be said for the changing uses of terms for Black Americans:  "Negro" and "colored," once perfectly acceptable terms, became offensive during the 1970s and "Afro-American" and "Black" came into use, which in turn gave way to "[[African Americans|African-American]]," and in broader usage, "people of color."  One perceived problem with "Negro" is that many persons, especially Southerners, seemed to have trouble pronouncing it, enunciating it as "nigra."   

The question of politically correct language has spilled over from the use of racially descriptive words and affected the use of traditional language.  In 1999, an aide to the mayor of Washington DC described a budget decision as "niggardly" (a word meaning "stingy," unrelated to the racial slur).  The aide immediately came under criticism and was forced to resign even though he had not said anything racially charged. However, his name was cleared within a matter of days and was offered to return to his previous position. <ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/williams/williams020499.htm</ref>

The question of politically correct language has spilled over from the use of racially descriptive words and affected the use of traditional language.  In 1999, an aide to the mayor of Washington DC described a budget decision as "niggardly" (a word meaning "stingy," unrelated to the racial slur).  The aide immediately came under criticism and was forced to resign even though he had not said anything racially charged. However, his name was cleared within a matter of days and was offered to return to his previous position. <ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/williams/williams020499.htm</ref>