Growth and Leadership
 

labor law poster free calendar offer

 Subscribe in a reader


Compliance and HR

- Labor Law Posters
- Safety Posters
- Employee Handbook
- Employment Forms
- Payroll Software
- Payroll Services
- Restaurant Posters
- HR Training & Tools
 
Legal and Financial
- Incorporate Online
- Merchant Accounts
- Legal & Business Forms
- Business Loans
 
Productivity & News
- Do-It-Yourself Email
- Free Magazines
- Templates &
  Productivity Tools
- Find Jobs, Find
  Employees
 
Small business and home business ideas and advice on marketing, employees, financing, and start-up.
Ask BKH 
Business Ideas
Business Plans
Career 
Franchise Information
Growth & Leadership
Home Business
Human Resources
Internet Business
IRS Resources
Law
Mailing & Shipping
Marketing
Management
Money & Finance
Small Business Blog
Starting a Business
Tips & Hints

Event & Party Planning
Medical Transcription
Secretarial Businesses
Writers & Publishers
Of Thee I Sing
 

Polls
Associations
iPhone Help
More Resources
Online Florist


Welcome
Feedback
Who we are
Site Map

 

 

Avoiding Language Landmines

by Bill Lampton, Ph.D.

Tiger Woods, who usually skirts controversy, generated plenty of bad press when he commented about his play at the Masters. Tiger said his tee-to-green play was fine. However, he felt, when he got to the greens he became "spastic." By choosing that word, he meant to convey that his putting during the tournament was shaky, unreliable, and out of control.

Immediately, individuals who cope with that malady, and their relatives, accused Woods of being thoughtless and insensitive.

That incident started me thinking about the common expressions we use daily which could become incendiary among certain groups:

  • "a basket case"--quadriplegics
  • "a lame excuse"--people on crutches and in wheelchairs
  • "shortsighted"--individuals with severe visual limitations
  • "asleep at the wheel"--relatives of those who died because they feel asleep while driving
  • "graveyard shift"--funeral industry
  • "stiff upper lip"--harelips
  • "lazy Susan"--women named Susan
  • "Mexican standoff"--Hispanics
  • "bent out of shape"--arthritis sufferers
  • "costs an arm and a leg"--amputees
  • "argument has no teeth in it"--denture wearers
  • "no backbone"--spinal cord injury victims
  • "sorry as a dog"--animal lovers
  • "not a big enough man"--short men
  • "jewed them down on the price"--Jewish people
  • "plain Jane"-women named Jane
  • "Chinaman's chance"-China native
  • "Is the Pope Catholic?" -Catholics
  • "fat chance"--overweight people

You might protest, "But we use these terms without malice." However, this brings us to one of the most important guidelines for communication: What's vitally significant is not what we meant--the chief factor is how listeners interpret our words and terms. "The eye of the beholder" reigns supreme.

So I suggest, conduct an inventory of your favorite phrases, and eliminate those that might become language landmines. Then you will run a much smaller risk of offending your friends, coworkers, prospects and clients.

And here is an invitation: Please e-mail me any other common sayings that might unintentionally offend listeners: I want to build my list of offensive terms, so I can include them in a comprehensive collection when I direct communication seminars.


Bill Lampton, Ph.D., helps organizations improve their communication, motivation, sales and customer service. His speeches, seminars, consulting and coaching share the advice included in his book, The Complete Communicator: Change Your Communication, Change Your Life! Visit his Web site and sign up for his complimentary monthly newsletter: http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com. Call Dr. Lampton at 770-534-3425.

 

 
 
 

Required 
Labor Law Posters

Required State, Federal and OSHA Labor Law Posters

Attractive, laminated poster  combines  state, federal and OSHA required labor law notices on one laminated poster. Order Now >>
 

 
Get free marketing, sales, advertising and management ideas delivered to your inbox.
 
Subscribe to the Business Know-How Newsletter
 
Primary Email Address:
 
We respect your
email privacy!
 

Hiring Employees?

Buy Employment Forms
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Week's New Articles

 Share This Article:

ADD TO GOOGLE
ADD TO DEL.ICIO.US
ADD TO DIGG
ADD TO REDDIT
ADD TO YAHOO MYWEB

 

ADD TO STUMBLEUPON
ADD TO TECHNORATI FAVORITES
ADD TO SQUIDOO
ADD TO ASK

 

Disclaimer
[Article Submission Guidelines]
[Welcome] [About Us] [Advertise]
[Small Business (home page)] [Marketing] [Direct Mail Ideas] [Human Resources] [Money Management]
[Business Loans] [Franchise] [Start A Business] [Home Business] [Tips & Hints] [Bulletin Board] [Ask Business Know-How] [Blog]
[Legal Know-How] [MLM Know-How] [Career] [Survey] [Feedback] [Free Newsletter]
Privacy Statement

The information compiled on this site is Copyright 1999-2008 by Attard Communications, Inc. and by the individual authors.
Business Know-How is a woman-owned business and a registered trademark of Attard Communications, Inc. Phone: 631-467-8883.

http://www.businessknowhow.com