One Step Ahead: Words
Using the right words in the right context
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He or She? Avoiding sexist bias in speech |
He or She? Avoiding sexist bias in speech
How do you fill in the gaps in the following sentence so that it applies equally to men and women without having to use 'his or her' in each space?
Anyone who wishes to apply for this post must send a copy of ______ CV with details of _______ current salary.
Some options:
Turn it into a plural
Those who wish to apply for this post must send a copy of their CV with details of their current salary.
Make it a direct address
If you wish to apply for this post you must send a copy of your CV with details of your current salary.
Make it passive
Applications for this post must be accompanied by a copy of the applicant's current CV and details of current salary.
Use 'their' instead of 'his' or 'her'
Anyone who wishes to apply for this post must send a copy of their CV with details of their current salary.
Prefixes
As the name suggests, prefixes are 'fix'ed at the beginning ('pre') of the word. Almost all prefixes add to, subtract from, or change in some other way the meaning of the base word. So we can turn 'happy' into its opposite by adding the prefix un-: unhappy.
autobiography [auto-, self]
bipartisan [bi-, two]
contradiction [contra-, opposite]
intravenous [intra-, inside]
megastar [mega-, very large]
neolithic [neo-, new]
paranormal [para-, beyond]
polytonal [poly-, many]
pseudo-intellectual [pseudo-, false]
retrograde [retro-, backwards]
television [tele-, at a distance]
unisex [uni-, one]
Getting a grip on words: the ten-point plan
1. Take a positive approach towards building your vocabulary.
2. Use a good dictionary and thesaurus.
3. Remember that there is always a choice of words.
4. Think about your audience's skills and knowledge.
5. Think about the social setting in which you are communicating.
6. Avoid jargon.
7. Tune into new words but don't be seduced by them.
8. Learn more about how words are used in sentences.
9. Understand word structure and use your knowledge to tackle new words.
10. Have fun with words!
Using a Dictionary
The first thing to realise about dictionaries is that the information they can give us depends on the size of the dictionary and the purpose for which it was developed.
The very biggest dictionaries, such as the Oxford English Dictionary contain a wealth of information. At the other end of the scale, the information contained within a mini-dictionary is necessarily limited.
Most dictionaries include some or all of these features:
headword
The word upon which all this group of dictionary entries and definitions are based.
pronunciation guide
The system used to show how words are pronounced is explained in a set of notes at the beginning of the dictionary.
word class
Often given in abbreviated form: 'n' for noun, 'v' for verb, etc.
etymology
An explanation of where the word originally came from.
definition
Many words have more than one meaning or use. These are usually numbered for the sake of clarity.
quotations
Examples of real language in which the word is used.
usage note
If a particular usage is unusual in some way, this is explained. For example, a word may be obsolete ('obs') or informal ('inf').
additional information
This can include word combinations and phrases of expressions using the word.
