In this carefully researched, thought-provoking book, Geoffrey Hughes examines the trajectory of political correctness and its impact on public life. Focusing on the historical, semantic, and cultural aspects of political correctness, it will intrigue anyone interested in this ongoing debate. A unique and intriguing journey through the trajectory of political correctness and its impact on public life, focusing on the historical, semantic, and cultural aspects of what PC means. Explores the origins, progress, content and style of political correctness, discussing and analyzing around one hundred terms and lexical formations, from Chaucer and Shakespeare, Marlowe and Swift, to nursery rhymes, rap and Spike Lee films, David Mamet, J. M. Coetzee and Philip Larkin. Offers adetailed semantic analysis of the way that key words have been exploited bothto advance the agendas of political correctness and to refute them. Geoffrey Hughes graduated from Oxford, was an Honorary Research Associate at Harvard, and is Emeritus Professor of the History of the English Language at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. He is the author of An Encyclopedia of Swearing (2006), A History of English Words (Wiley-Blackwell, 2000), Swearing: A Social History of Foul Language, Oaths and Profanity in English (1998), and Words in Time (1988). He is currently Honorary Research Associate at the University of Cape Town. INDICE: Preface. Acknowledgments. Epigraphs. Part I: Political Correctnessand its Origins. 1. Defining Political Correctness. 2. The Origins and the Debate. Part II: The Semantic Aspect. 3. Words and Authorities: Dictionaries andLexicographers. 4. The Evolution of the Word Field. Part III: Zones of Controversy. 5. Issues of Race, Nationality, Gender, and Difference. 6. Agendas Old and New. Part IV: Cultural and Historical Issues. 7. Political Correctness in the Past. 8. Culture. Conclusion: The Right Thing to Do? Progressive Orthodoxy, Empty Convention or Double Standard?. Bibliography. Author Index and SubjectIndex. Word Index.
- ISBN: 978-1-4051-5278-5
- Editorial: Wiley-Blackwell
- Encuadernacion: Cartoné
- Páginas: 336
- Fecha Publicación: 21/12/2009
- Nº Volúmenes: 1
- Idioma: Inglés