Ethnic food. Ethnic music. Ethnic restaurants. Ethnic fashion. The word ethnic is frequently used to describe things that come from countries outside North America and Western Europe or cultures other than White. Like exotic, the word connotes otherness and can be seen as marginalizing and offensive. In general, try to avoid. Instead, use the specific …
Caution, vague. A group of people who self-identify with one another because of geographical, linguistic, cultural, religious and other ties. In the 19th and 20th centuries, it was common to refer to ethnic groups as races, e.g. the Hungarian race.
A person’s [ethnicity] should not be mentioned unless relevant. This also applies to references to ethnicity, sexual orientation and religion. Derogatory terms or slurs aimed at members of a racial or ethnic group may not be used unless having a direct bearing on the news, and then only with the approval of the senior editor in charge. Avoid …
All three of these words may be defined, as an adjective, as “of or relating to Scotland or its people,” and as a noun as “the Scots language,” but in modern usage, the words have different connotations. In fact, some people from Scotland may take offense if you refer to them as Scotch. Scottish is …
Latine is a gender-neutral or non-binary alternative to Latino and Latina. This term originated from LGBTQIA+, gender non-binary and feminist communities in Spanish-speaking countries. Latine replaces the “a” and “o” with the gender-neutral Spanish letter “e”. The letter “e” can be found in non-gendered Spanish nouns like “estudiante” (student). Latine is pronounced la-TEEN-eh; it’s similar …
The word chief has multiple meanings. When used to refer to a leader or ruler of a people or clan, make sure the word is appropriate, that it is actually used by that group of people. Don’t assume, for example, that the leader of an Indigenous tribe or nation is called a chief. It should …
Linguistic racism is discrimination based on accent, dialect or speech patterns. Acts of linguistic racism can be overt or covert. For example, an overt act would be mocking someone for the way they speak. On a covert level, a person may be told they are unintelligible because they speak with an accent or they may …
The cultural beliefs, values and traditions that are dominant, or centered, in a society. Dominant cultural practices are thought of as “normal” while other practices are undervalued or marginalized. Conversely, in a multicultural society, various cultures are celebrated and reflected equally.
Abbreviation for the region known as the Middle East and North Africa. People of MENA descent can mark “White, including Middle Eastern” or “some other race” on Census forms. Use Middle Eastern or North African descent on first reference. If you use the MENA abbreviation, explain it.