Page 295 - Between One and Many The Art and Science of Public Speaking

262 Part 3 Putting Theory Into Practice

“Because you are Latino . . .”
“This is really a guy book.”
Each of these statements could be well-meaning and intended to demonstrate
the speaker’s sensitivity to people with disabilities, women, Latinos, and men.
Yet what each statement does in reality is call attention to a single attribute
among audience members and treat the attribute as if it were the only thing
about audience members that truly counts. People are more than their disability,
women and men are more than their biological sex, and people discriminated
against by racists are more than simply victims. Speakers need to use language
that acknowledges that people are complex individuals.
Finally, inclusive language is immediate language; it reduces the percep-
immediate language
tion that people are psychologically distant from each other—with little or noth-
Language that reduces
ing in common. Remember the example of Joe Theismann? His use of the per-
the psychological
sonal pronoun “I” actually made him seem more distant from members of the
distance that separates
audience. Inclusive language emphasizes the fact that a speaker and audience
speakers and audi-
are a collective rather than two separate entities. For example, the late Barbara
ence members and
stresses that speech is a Jordan not only used immediate language in her distinguished political career,
transaction. she also spoke eloquently about inclusive speech. Both facts are featured in her
speech, “We, the People,” printed in the box on page 263.
Lest you think otherwise, inclusive language is not the same as the politically
correct language talk show hosts justifi ably satirize. Inclusive language is fi rmly
rooted in the ethical principles we introduced in Chapter 4. Consider inclusive
language in terms of Immanuel Kant’s categorical imperative. Have you ever
had someone use language to purposely hurt you? Did you think the language
was justifi ed or mean-spirited?
We need to think through what motivates us to use certain words and phrases
before we use them. We also need to weigh the possible consequences of these
words and phrases before speaking them. And we need to ask ourselves ahead
of time, how would we interpret and respond to words and phrases if they or
their equivalents were directed at us?
We are not saying that you must avoid critical words and phrases in your
verbal characterizations of people. We are simply asking you to put the shoe
on the other foot to fi rst measure how you think you would respond in similar
circumstances.

Tips and Tactics
Inclusive Language

1. Inclusive language avoids defi ning people on the basis of their gender, sexual
orientation, disability, racial, ethnic, or religious identity. Inclusive language
uses terms such as humankind rather than mankind, athlete rather than woman
athlete, and friend rather than Islamic friend.
2. Inclusive language refl ects the self-referents used by the members of a mi-
nority group; for example, gay or lesbian rather than homosexuals and person
with a disability rather than disabled person.
3. Inclusive language is immediate. As you can read in Exhibit 10.1, it’s about
we rather than me and us rather than you and I.