We want to treat people with respect, don’t we? Therefore, we need to be careful with our choice of words.. We want to use respectful, gender-neutral language; language which doesn’t offend others. This is what being “politically correct” means to me.
For example, instead of using the words ‘policeman’ and ‘postman’, I now like to say ‘police officer’ and ‘postmen and postwomen’.
If you often confuse the two-letter prepositions ‘in’, ‘on’ or ‘at’, read the Voice of America’s article on Everyday Grammar. The idea of moving from the general to the specific might be able to help you remember how to use them correctly in the future.:)
“Hyphen” is a word that very few people here seem to know. In German, it means “BIndestrich”. Do you know that little symbol of connectivity? This article should help you understand how it’s used (link to: Purdue OWL).
“Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.” Albert Schweitzer
Read BBC’s article on how China’s nouveaux riche are learning to behave in an international environment. Good manners are more and more being seen as a status symbol. And there’s so much to learn – how to hold your tea cup, how to pronounce those luxury brands correctly, how to raise children, how to behave at table – the list is never-ending!
all the rage = very stylish or fashionable
nouveaux riche = newly rich (link to: de.urbandictionary.com)
