A question of morality
A question of morality. Why we need politically correct language is a pamphlet by the linguist Anatol Stefanowitsch . In it, the author advocates the use of non- discriminatory or derogatory language. The book was published by Dudenverlag in March 2018 .
Content and structure
What is politically correct language and who is criticizing it
In the first chapter What politically correct language is and who criticizes it, Stefanowitsch first lists examples of changed, non-discriminatory language use that met with rejection in the media or in the population and was perceived as exaggerated political correctness - such as the gender-appropriate reformulation of the Road traffic regulations (“who takes part in traffic” instead of “all road users”).
Stefanowitsch then tries to refute the individual allegations against politically correct use of language, namely:
- the allegation of damage to literary and cultural traditions,
- the accusation of interference with natural language development,
- the accusation of unaesthetic formulations,
- the accusation of disturbed communication due to ambiguous formulations and
- the charge of censorship .
Stefanowitsch names linguistic historical facts and, in addition to the well-known, criticized examples, also cites counterexamples that were not even considered in the media. He works out that the criticism is only expressed very selectively, namely whenever it comes to linguistic changes in favor of a previously degraded group, while other interventions in the language are accepted. Renaming events (such as “winter market” instead of “Christmas market”) only provoke outrage if they were supposedly made out of consideration for Muslims. This calls into question the seriousness of the outrage that has been expressed over the decline of culture, literature and language.
How language and morals are related
In the second chapter How language and morality are related , Stefanowitsch presents his position that (in general) language use is amenable to moral evaluation and that (in particular) the avoidance of derogatory expressions is a form of moral action. To this end, he compares the moral demand for politically correct language with other forms of morally intended language criticism , such as the criticism of euphemisms , loanwords or unnecessarily complex language. Thereupon he applies the best-known principle of moral philosophy, the golden rule , to language: Who z. If, for example, you do not want to be given disparaging expressions yourself or you do not want to consider every time whether it is "included" in a text, this should not be expected of other population groups either. Also here typical lines of argument of the opponents of politically correct language are invalidated, for example the reference to the etymology of the word " negro " , which is much less decisive for the feeling of degradation than the current connotations of the word.
At the end of the chapter, Stefanowitsch compiles a selection of derogatory expressions for various social groups, through which he shows that there is a much larger selection of much more derogatory expressions for women and minorities than for members of the socially dominant groups (Germans, whites, men , Heterosexuals, non-disabled people). This creates the unjust circumstance that one has to express an aversion to the dominant group explicitly and, if necessary, justify it, while an aversion to the minority can simply be expressed by the choice of an appropriately connoted expression - without being responsible for this devaluation can be held responsible. In this way, Stefanowitsch makes it clear that he is not interested in a ban on speaking disparagingly about other groups, but rather that this should be “the same effort for everyone”.
How we speak morally
The third chapter, How we speak morally, is about which formulations are specifically perceived as derogatory and which linguistic alternatives are available. First, Stefanowitsch advocates listening to the groups affected when they talk about their experiences of discrimination and “believing them more than us and other non-discriminated people”. He recommends following the Golden Rule to use their own designation when naming groups , but also points out ( using the example of "Gypsies", "Eskimos" and "Indians") the heterogeneity or construction of some groups and the associated groups different acceptance of a group name. In addition, there are groups that, due to their heterogeneous composition, have no self-designation at all, such as people with disabilities.
He sees the corpus-linguistic analysis of individual terms that are perceived as pejorative as an alternative to the subjective statements of individuals affected . This shows, for example, that the words negro and gypsy are much more frequently associated with derogatory or stereotyping adjectives than the alternatives black or Sinti and Roma .
Enough
In a short final chapter, Stefanowitsch makes it clear again that he is concerned with eliminating “structural linguistic inequalities”, not with prohibiting certain opinions. He sees the fight against pejorative language as the first, but by no means sufficient, step towards the social equality of all social groups.
reception
The book received positive reviews overall, for example in the Süddeutsche Zeitung , on Spektrum.de and in various blogs. Mainly the plausibility of the chosen examples and the comprehensibility of the argumentation were praised. As a result, Stefanowitsch was interviewed several times on the subject of political correctness and his book. An exception is Marius Fränzel, who on his review blog agrees with Bonaventura Stefanowitsch's basic ideas, but criticizes the moral-philosophical approach as being too short-sighted and, in contrast to Stefanowitsch, fundamentally rejects subsequent changes to literary works.
source
- Analol Stefanowitsch: A question of morality. Why we need politically correct language . Berlin: Dudenverlag 2018. ISBN 978-3-411-74358-2
Web links
- Literature by and about A question of morality in the catalog of the German National Library