The Associated Press has announced that the article “the” should be avoided in many circumstances because it is “dehumanizing.” It warns writers to avoid saying offensive things like “the French”. It does not seem that we can even just add an x like Latinx. It is not a gender thing so “thx” will not suffice. It is now an article of faith to stop using the article “the” in referencing groups. It is reminiscent of Winston Churchill who was chastised for ending a sentence with a preposition. He responded by showing the artificiality of avoiding an ending preposition: “This is the type of arrant pedantry up with which I will not put.”
The AP declared that:
“We recommend avoiding general and often dehumanizing ‘the’ labels such as the poor, the mentally ill, the French, the disabled, the college-educated. Instead, use wording such as people with mental illnesses. And use these descriptions only when clearly relevant.”
Even the French Embassy responded with “Le” scorn.
By the way, if you are thinking of objecting to “the grammar police,” think again. It will just establish that you are a dehumanizing monster.
What concerns me most is that this dehumanizing article has lingered in the English language for so long without being noticed until now. Even The editors of The Associated Press are shadowed with this vile, dehumanizing word. It is literally lurking on every computer and in every dictionary.
The only option is decisive action. AP must take its ox cart through the streets and call on people to bring out their “thes” for proper disposal. As for any French people encountered along the way, simply refer to them as “people associated with the nation of France.”
From now on I must consider “the” AP a triggering event and therefore it must be eradicated from “the” language. If not eradicated then ”the” AP should carry an automatic warning label “Warning-may not be factual but definitely triggering of scorn”.
“The” AP Was once a respected news service. Now it is neither. What effect will this have on my life. Does infinitesimal ring a bell. “The” AP Has had to backtrack on many reports and staged events and pictures over “the” last few decades. Can we even continue to call “the” AP a legitimate news source. I suspect not. Soon “the” AP will go the way of “the” UPI which is still alive but on life support, so to speak. This (still an article, at last report or is it a pronoun) should render “the” AP even less relevant than it has already become. I guess “the” AP wishes us to sound more English than American. He took holiday, she went to hospital, etc (hopefully etc. not too dehumanizing). “The” AP already has a long list of “proper” writing for their reports which are often idiotic and sometimes border on lunacy but reek of bias and progressives slants. Hence “illegal aliens” become “asylum seekers” and so on. “The” next American Revolution may start with burning down newsrooms and buildings that house them, not so much for ideology but mainly to reduce the excruciating noise and inanities that are constantly spewed forth from them.
GEB,
In line with your comment, it appears “the” mentally ill, have infected “the” AP.
The moment you submit to using their language, you’ve lost.
Correct. The aim is to press you into speaking (and thinking) in ‘approved’ ways. The “my pronouns” idiocy is emblematic. My personal answer: when I speak, I (and not you) get to choose my words. Just as you get to choose yours. So you’re entitled to use your pronouns and I’m entitled to use mine (a kind of ‘equity,’ no?). So please use ‘your’ pronouns as you talk about yourself (which I suspect you do often), but when I refer to you, I’ll choose my own. You don’t speak for me. You know, free speech and all that.
THE AP is the problem!
“[U]se wording such as people with mental illnesses.”
Or for short: *The* AP.
What jumps out at me from this is that the AP is willing to put forth this admonition in the first place. The people who run their show are so radical that they are unaware of their own ridiculousness.
OT: Based on statements yesterday, it appears that no damage assessment has been done by the IC for either the Trump or the Biden documents. If true, this is bizarre. First, the entire concern about unauthorised possession of these documents is the potential damage to national security. Secondly, for such possession to be criminal under the Espionage Act, there must be potential damage to the national defence.
Based on Miranda Devine’s reporting, there is a clear possibility that Hunter Biden used classified information about Ukraine in April 2014 to enhance his prospects of getting a lucrative Board position at Burisma. How is it possible that this has not been examined by the IC? The email at issue was on the laptop the FBI has had since December 2019.
It looks more and more like a cover-up is underway. Even the Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee are outraged.
Your comment if full of uses of the word “the”.
Lysias: you need a reading comprehension class. The AP never said “the” should be banned–only that it in some instances, it should be avoided when referring to entire groups of people because it can be dehumanizing. Read the article and then ask yourself why you fall for the culture wars garbage.
Wow! A really, truly “clear POSSIBILITY”. And, for alt-right news mavens, that’s enough for the death penalty. Here’s what not a mere “possibility” about your hero: he intentionally STOLE classified documents, refused to return them upon request, partially responded to a subpoena and filed a false affiavit averring that all were returned while he had people shifting contents of boxes containing classified materials around and moving them to different storage areas–this was done by people with NO security clearance. Then, when told that his compliance was incomplete, forced the DOJ to obtain a search warrant, which he used to fundraise because he was a “victim” of the “Deep State” that ‘s out to get him.
I thank God that I am in my late 60’s. I do not want to see this planet in another 30 years…
Only in mid-60s here, but, seriously, if this and that and the 20 million other things aren’t reverse course soon, I’m with you.
les AP…ce sont des cons.
At The Ohio State University, they require the use of “The.”
That’s it! No more posting! All words have been banned!
THE Ohio State University won’t like this AP edict.
And these people think themselves intelligent, cultured, urbain? My god, what a bunch of clowns.
If they are going to ban the definite article ( the), then should also ban the indefinite article (a). Then we could all speak like Russians, whose language has neither, e.g. “ You eat like Russian pig”.
Will it never end?
Will it never “the” end?
😉
It would be funny if it wasn’t rally happening. The idiots
Thee are lunatics!
So the democrats have raised up Hitler as their poster boy for Murika and the press is 100% behind the communication of America? Wow.
They’re just playing with us now. Ignore them.
Clowns are entertainers, laugh at the stupidity of the progressive clowns.