WARNING: Some readers might find this segment offensive.

Readers: This segment shouldn’t even be necessary. You should know better. These words and phrases rightly have been tagged as offensive, or at least tone-deaf, so don’t use them! Especially in the company of people who belong to any of these groups. And certainly not in your writing.

•  Retarded. Also a mental “vegetable.” Also “brain dead,” unless an attending doctor has used the specific medical term.

•  Deaf and dumb. Also “deaf mute.”

•  Crippled. Also “deformed,” “lame,” or “an invalid.”

•  Dwarf, midget.

•  Crazy. Wacko. Nut. Psycho.

•  Colored. Also Uncle Tom, for a Black person who’s subservient to whites. Also “Oreo,” a term some Blacks use for someone they say acts as if Black on the outside and white on the inside.

•  Oriental. Also “Chinaman,” “Jap,” or “Chink.” As if we needed to tell you.

•  Indian (for Native Americans). Also Redskin (finally!). Also warpath, squaw, etc. And be careful lumping together all Native American groups. In North America alone, they can be as ethnically diverse as people from England and Turkey. And don’t use “tribe” in this context unless the group does. Most prefer “nation.”

•  Canuck (Offensive as a generic for a Canadian. But OK for the National Hockey League team.)

•  Don’t call someone a Haitian or a Romanian or a Pakistani if they moved to the United States years ago, especially if they are U.S. citizens. “Haitian American” would be OK only if relevant. Otherwise they’re just an American. Just like you. 

•  Hillbilly. Also redneck. Also WASP for a white Anglo-Saxon Protestant. Also “Florida cracker,” which is, analogous to “hillbilly,” although some use the term proudly.

•  Fireman, lawman, congressman, chairman, spokesman. Use only if you are sure they’re all males. Some use just “chair.” Don’t use “chairperson” etc. because — let’s face it — no one ever uses that term except when it’s a woman. Don’t be a cowardly writer!

•  Fag or queer. (Note: Some LGBTQ groups have appropriated “queer” as a term of pride, the way some Blacks use the N-word.)

•  “Jesus Christ!” Also “Christ Almighty!” “For Christ’s sake!” And, for the love of God, never say, “Jesus F**ing Christ.” Also, don’t say, “For the love of God.” All offensive. Or even, “Oh my god,” which is more a cliché.

•  Gypsy. Don’t use for the ethnic group, whose members prefer Romany, and don’t use as a colloquial for a nomad.

• AD, BC, Old Testament: The Associated Press stylebook says AD is acceptable for anno Domini: “in the year of the Lord,” and B.C. is acceptable in all references to the period “before Christ.” We’ve said many times that “Horribly Wrong” defers to AP. But we also counsel you to know your audience. Non-Christians aren’t comfortable with A.D. or B.C. because, with all respect, it’s not their lord. Jews will substitute “CE” for “Christian Era” or “BCE” for “Before Christian Era,” though non-Jewish audiences will be clueless about the acronyms. Also, while AP is OK with “Old Testament,” keep in mind that it presumes a “New Testament,” which many non-Christians don’t recognize.

Confused? Unsure? As the Horribly Wrong team says, you always can “write around it.”

Watch this on video! https://youtu.be/dA_vKxul-xo

Next time: Hand me a Kleenex!

Readers: "Something Went Horribly Wrong," features samples of bad writing we see nearly every day. You can participate! Be our duly deputized “grammar police:” Your motto: “To protect and correct.” Send in your photos of store signs, street signs, newspaper headlines, tweets, and so on. It doesn’t have to be a grammatical error. It can be just what we call “cowardly writing.” Include your name and home town so we properly can credit you. You're free to add a comment, although we reserve the right to edit or omit. Now get out there! Send to Eliot@eliotkleinberg.com

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