The Power of Inclusive Language: Why Words Matter 4
This is the fourth article about inclusive language.
So how can we talk about race, power and decolonisation?
Here are some recommendations from Oxfam’s Inclusive Language Guide.
| Terms to Avoid | Preferred Terms |
|---|---|
| mixed race | Biracial, Multiracial |
| black | Black (capitalized), Black person |
| Indians, Eskimo, Aboriginal | First Nations, First Nations people, Inuit, Métis (Canada) |
| the West | Global Majority, Global Minority |
| third world, first world | Global South, Global North |
| developed country, developing country, underdeveloped countries, third world | high/middle/low-income country |
| the homeless | homeless people, homeless person, people experiencing homelessness |
| Aboriginal | indigenous peoples |
| slum, slum dwellers, shanty town | informal settlements, informal housing, people who live in informal settlements |
| ethnic minority | minority ethnic person, minoritised ethnic person, marginalised ethnic person |
| natural disasters | natural shocks, natural hazards, human disasters |
| poor people, the poor, poorest people | people experiencing poverty, people living with/in poverty, people living in extreme poverty |
| BAME, BME, mixed race, coloured | people of colour, person of colour/ color (POC), Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) |
| vulnerable people, vulnerable women, vulnerable men | people facing social exclusion, political exclusion, economic exclusion, women/men who are in a vulnerable position |
| peasant | smallholder, smallholder farmer, agricultural labourer, subsistence farmer |
| aid sector | social justice movements, international social justice movements, non-government organizations (NGOs), international non-government organizations (INGOs), civil society organisations (CSOs) |
| Caucasian | white person, white people |
Take a closer look at the guide. Although it’s been criticised, I find it informative and engaging to read.
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