Administration of "Short, Fat Communist" Wants Speech Code

There are 96 words marked for extinction in Brazil, by the government. Or, there were, until bestselling author Joao Ubaldo Ribieiro last month sparked an outcry against the 87-page document titled "Political Correctness and Human Rights," in which authorities made the case for phasing out words which translate as a "clown," drunk," and "fatty," among others. The government was concerned such terms carry an inappropriate stigma.

Time has more:

The administration of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva would prefer his fellow citizens to describe him as a vertically challenged, well-nourished supporter of liberal causes—and not as a short, fat communist. In an 87-page document drawn up by the Special Ministry for Human Rights and distributed to members of Congress, police chiefs, newspaper editors and other opinion leaders, the Lula administration lists 96 terms it wants to hear less of.

Many are obvious: Don’t call the physically handicapped cripples or the mentally handicapped mongoloids, and when describing Afro-Brazilians, steer clear of the Portuguese equivalent of the N word. But the list...goes on to advise against using drunks, because even alcoholics deserve respect; Africans, because the term diminishes individual nationalities; old people, because elderly doesn’t carry as much stigma; and street children, because many of those young people have homes. The list also urges Brazilians to stop calling foreigners gringos, radical politicians Shi‘ites, and communists, well, communists.

The Christian Science Monitor reports today that Brazilian officials have stopped distributing the report, and will meet next month with experts on racism and language, and representatives of minority groups to discuss what to do next.

Here's my suggestion: send the speech police to Carnival in Rio next February, for a demonstration project. If it works there, we're in business.

Posted by Matt Rosenberg at May 17, 2005 12:52 PM