quinta-feira, 17 de novembro de 2016

Do guia de estilo de The Economist

On the other hand, do not labour to avoid imaginary insults, especially if the effort does violence to the language. Some people, such as the members of the Task Force on Bias-Free Language of the Association of American University Presses, believe that ghetto-blaster is “offensive as a stereotype of African-American culture”, that it is invidious to speak of a normal child, that massacre should not be used “to refer to a successful American Indian raid or battle victory against white colonisers and invaders”, and that the use of the term cretin is distressing. They want, they say, to avoid “victimisation” and to get “the person before the disability”. The intent may be admirable, but they are unduly sensitive, often inventing slights where none exists.

(...)

Some people believe the possibility of giving offence, causing embarrassment, lowering self-esteem, reinforcing stereotypes, perpetuating prejudice, victimising, marginalising or discriminating to be more important than stating the truth, never mind the chance of doing so with any verve or panache.  They are wrong. Do not bowdlerise your own prose.  You may be neither Galileo nor Salman Rushdie, but you too may sometimes be right to cause offence. Your first duty is to the truth.

5 comentários:

  1. "Your first duty is to the truth" (última linha do trecho)

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  2. Muito bom! Gosto muito deste bocado:

    "Some people believe the possibility of giving offence, causing embarrassment, lowering self-esteem, reinforcing stereotypes, perpetuating prejudice, victimising, marginalising or discriminating to be more important than stating the truth, never mind the chance of doing so with any verve or panache."

    (E common sense, o tanas, Luís! Lá sense pode ser, agora common...)

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    Respostas
    1. Passo a vida a tentar ofender para ver se há alguma reacção inesperada, que seja interessante. Acho que a reacção mais comum é tomarem-me por maluca. Assim seja!

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