On Friday, 22 July 2016 11:29:08 UTC+1, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
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?

Yes or rather people that are looking for promotion or to make their role look far more important then it is.



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?

Well donl;t use the n word to describe it unless you yourself are black.


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.

That was my objection in that they were trying to claim using the word black to describe tea or coffee was offensive to coloured people and myself actually knowing coloured people and my boss being one.
Strange as a department we have less coloured people working for us now than when we had black tea and coffee on offer.