In article ,
RJH wrote:
IME at least you're wrong there. When I did my teacher training
(mid-90s) we were 'told' to use the word chalkboard. The teaching staff
were pretty embarrassed about this, but ho hum. This only lasted a
couple of years, and blackboard is (of course) a correct term and in use
(where you still see blackboards - rare nowadays).

Is there some department that goes round looking to make up nonsensical
names under the guise of being PC? Or just a local busybody?

I experienced the rounds with this calling things coloured black other
names. It was well intentioned, if a bit silly IMO. I don't see the
point in becoming wound up about it.

So what colour do I call my black car? Has black been removed from tins of
black paint?

If words/terms are gendered unnecessarily, I'm all in favour of making
them gender neutral.

I'm certainly in favour of not using words that offend necessarily. But
black isn't - and never was - one of them.

--
*Can atheists get insurance for acts of God? *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.