#LanguageMatters

Mark R. StonemanWhat 19th-century European understandings of war and dueling can tell us about Putin's murderous invasion of Ukraine and how he labels his war: <a href="https://markstoneman.com/2022/08/11/more-than-a.html" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://markstoneman.com/2022/08/11/more-than-a.html</a> (blogged 3 years ago) <a href="https://zirk.us/tags/PutinsWar" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#PutinsWar</a> <a href="https://zirk.us/tags/RussoUkrainianWar" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#RussoUkrainianWar</a> <a href="https://zirk.us/tags/LanguageMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#LanguageMatters</a> <a href="https://zirk.us/tags/HistoryMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#HistoryMatters</a> <a href="https://zirk.us/tags/PastAndPresent" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#PastAndPresent</a> 🗃️

TechnoTenshi :verified_trans: :Fire_Lesbian:I want to share something I'm really proud of.In late July, I came across a 2016 article from the Novo Nordisk Foundation. It discussed intersex women, including those with XY chromosomes, but the language was outdated, reductionist, and stigmatizing. It called them "genetically men," leaned on biological determinism, and framed their lives through a medical lens that undermined their dignity.I couldn't let that stand, so I wrote to them. I explained why the language was harmful, pointed to current science and bioethics, and asked them to take responsibility.To their credit, they listened. They replied quickly, acknowledged my concerns, and began reviewing the article. A couple of weeks later they sent me a revised draft. They had already removed the misgendering, replaced pathologizing phrases, and shifted the framing away from chromosomes as destiny. I suggested a few more adjustments to make the language even more accurate and affirming.At the end of August, they published the updated article in English and Danish. The harmful wording is largely gone. The framing now centers human diversity, patient-centered care, and informed consent.It may not sound dramatic, but these changes matter. Words shape how people see themselves, how they are treated by doctors, and how society understands trans and intersex lives. Correcting language in a piece like this helps chip away at stigma that has caused harm for decades.Here's what this looked like in practice for me: I was assertive. I named where I disagreed. I brought factual evidence. I kept the exchange in good faith. I stayed open to change and supported it when it happened.It is one article, one institution, one moment. Little by little, contribution by contribution, we are changing things. I'm proud that I stood up and made a difference here, and I'll keep doing what I can to push for a world where our communities are seen, respected, and affirmed. 💜Link to the revised article: <a href="https://novonordiskfonden.dk/en/news/more-women-than-expected-are-born-with-a-hidden-variation-in-sex-development/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://novonordiskfonden.dk/en/news/more-women-than-expected-are-born-with-a-hidden-variation-in-sex-development/</a><a href="https://infosec.exchange/tags/Intersex" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Intersex</a> <a href="https://infosec.exchange/tags/Trans" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Trans</a> <a href="https://infosec.exchange/tags/LanguageMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#LanguageMatters</a> <a href="https://infosec.exchange/tags/PatientCenteredCare" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#PatientCenteredCare</a>

Ridley ParkAI isn’t the problem—ignorant commentary is. If you don’t understand semiotics, Wittgenstein’s language games, or Derrida’s différance, you’ve failed the test. Licence revoked.📜 <a href="https://philosophics.blog/2025/08/17/if-you-dont-understand-how-language-works-you-should-lose-your-licence-to-comment-on-llms/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://philosophics.blog/2025/08/17/if-you-dont-understand-how-language-works-you-should-lose-your-licence-to-comment-on-llms/</a><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/LLMs" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#LLMs</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/GenerativeAI" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#GenerativeAI</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Semiotics" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Semiotics</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/GenAI" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#GenAI</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Poststructuralism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Poststructuralism</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/LanguageMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#LanguageMatters</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Philosophy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Philosophy</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/PhilosophicsBlog" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#PhilosophicsBlog</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/language" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#language</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/PhilosophyOfLanguage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#PhilosophyOfLanguage</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Structuralism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Structuralism</a>

Mark R. Stoneman<a href="https://zirk.us/tags/LanguageMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#LanguageMatters</a> <a href="https://zirk.us/tags/%D0%9F%D1%83%D1%82%D1%96%D0%BD%D0%86%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%9D%D0%B0%D1%85%D1%83%D0%B9" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#ПутінІдиНахуй</a> 🇺🇦

Dr Susi Arnott<a href="https://fediscience.org/@micefearboggis" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@micefearboggis</a> note to self <a href="https://mastodon.green/tags/LLM" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#LLM</a> <a href="https://mastodon.green/tags/languagematters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#languagematters</a>

Paul Arnheim-ProjektThere aren't "underage girls" either. Women aren't girls, and "young girls" are toddlers. <a class="hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://bsky.app/search?q=%23LanguageMatters" target="_blank">#LanguageMatters</a>!

➴➴➴Æ🜔Ɲ.Ƈꭚ⍴𝔥єɼ👩🏻‍💻Why I Don't Spend My Time Policing LanguageI wrote above about the erasure of femininity and I stand by every word. However, just because something is "right" or "correct" does not mean that every action taken in service of it is useful, strategic, or even desirable. Language does matter. It really does. However, how we engage with others matters a ton more than language does. We are living through multiple overlapping crises, and I've had to ask myself what kinds of acts actually protect people, build solidarity, and help us survive.It is easy to fill our voids, our existential dreads, with self-righteousness. It is a temptation to quicken ourselves by finding the faults in others, especially when we know a community can rally around us.Working with compassion and empathy is much much harder. I've chosen not to spend my time correcting or policing others language (including misgendering me) not because I think the words are harmless, but because I think there are more urgent and effective way s to confront those harms.The reality is that language is fluid and changes. Often times that fluidity isn't kind or fair. In fact, it generally will reflect the zeitgeist, which is neither kind nor fair to the feminine now a days. However, the reality is that "guys" and "dude" are becoming gender neutral terms. We can critique what the flow says about us, but fighting it is sticking your finger in the dam.And the only way to fight it is to be prescriptive about language. Insisting that there is a "correct", "proper", or "respectable" way to speak is classist garbage, and often racist classist garbage. Asking others to speak in a certain way is actually just asking for them to conform to your in-group affectations.I despise leftist groupthink. I hated Latinx before it was cool, and don't like "folx" either. I'm not conforming. But more importantly, what asking others to do by conforming, is telling them they are _excluded_ from the group _unless_ they conform. This is outward social pressure away from progressive voices. This is selective pressure and purity politics in a lesser form. Call outs are not a mechanism for social change, but instead a means of creating cohesive group identity and providing a psychological reward to the person who initiated the callout.Remember, language is mostly inherited fro our family, community, and peer group. A callout, or policing someones language, is to critique their social identity. People will inherently become defensive. At best they robotically do as told, and engage in performative correctness without examining their values. This is not justice.Worse, it can create blowback. We are living through dangerous times. Any act which makes someone afraid to speak up is an act of despicable evil. The creation of shame, confusion, or defensiveness; making people afraid in any way, is driving them into the arms of fascism. I worry that by overcorrecting on small things, we push people away from bigger and more vital conversations.In trying to "win" the battle of words, we are losing the war.Ultimately, I've become more interested in effective politics than theory. I'm increasingly focused on strategy over performance. What is the most effective way to prevent queer youth from dying? To keep trans people from being legislated out of existence? To prevent women from becoming cattle? To prevent the collapse of our ecosystems and to push back against the encroaching authoritarian hellscape.When I am serious about what that takes, it doesn't involve arguments about casual language. The fight requires empathy, DIY know-how, mutual understanding, and trust networks.So, yes. Gender neutral dude is fucked up. No, I don't care if you use it.<a href="https://lgbtqia.space/tags/dude" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#dude</a> <a href="https://lgbtqia.space/tags/dudegate" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#dudegate</a> <a href="https://lgbtqia.space/tags/LanguageMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#LanguageMatters</a> <a href="https://lgbtqia.space/tags/Feminism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Feminism</a> <a href="https://lgbtqia.space/tags/Trans" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Trans</a> <a href="https://lgbtqia.space/tags/Empathy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Empathy</a> <a href="https://lgbtqia.space/tags/CalloutCulture" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#CalloutCulture</a> <a href="https://lgbtqia.space/tags/FuckPurityPolitics" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#FuckPurityPolitics</a> <a href="https://lgbtqia.space/tags/fascism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#fascism</a>

Cadernos de LinguísticaDoes formal Portuguese really need to avoid “o mesmo” in place of “he”? This article put it to the test — and the results might surprise you. It has already been accessed more than 1200 times in just a month, thanks to wide visibility and active social media sharing by Cadernos de Linguística. The journal tracks impact through altmetrics and supports Plaudit endorsements from ORCID-verified authors. 📚 Read the full study: <a href="https://doi.org/10.25189/2675-4916.2025.V6.N3.ID751" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.25189/2675-4916.2025.V6.N3.ID751</a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/LanguageMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#LanguageMatters</a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Altmetrics" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Altmetrics</a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/OpenScience" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#OpenScience</a>

Lachlan 🇺🇦🇹🇼A reminder to <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/SBS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#SBS</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Australia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Australia</a> that a huge military parade for a wannabe dictator’s birthday can only be ‘marred by protests’ if you believe that citizens protesting against the destruction of civil society is bad. <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/LanguageMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#LanguageMatters</a>

Markus Feilner<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/telemark" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#telemark</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/norwegen" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#norwegen</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/workandtravel" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#workandtravel</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/vanlife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#vanlife</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#photography</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/languagematters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#languagematters</a>

The Animal and the Machine<a href="https://zeroes.ca/@hannu_ikonen" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@hannu_ikonen</a> To me it’s like saying people with brown eyes are optotypical and now we are looking in peoples eyes we are starting to diagnose people with blue eye disorders.We have variation in every part of our body yet we only recognise a single neuro pattern. It’s Victorian. Evolution doesn’t work that way and the starting premise should be one of expectation of diversity, especially with a tribal existence that has been in place longer than we have been human.<a href="https://mathstodon.xyz/tags/LanguageMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#LanguageMatters</a> and we need to start saying ‘identified’ not diagnosed. As a self-identified ADHDer I can tell you that my brain says this Victorian medicine is a pile of shit before it starts and I promise you, I am far from impaired.

Lukas Kahwe SmithI have some sad news to share: Witty Works is closing down. 😮Still everything too fresh to really have developed a perspective on what we have achieved, especially in light that we were unable to build a sustainable product around our vision that <a href="https://mastodon.green/tags/languagematters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#languagematters</a> for equity and inclusion.

I know nothingI often have a giggle at work when I hear people from other teams stressing about a deadline and how they need to meet it. Who's going to die? We're not saving lives so stop calling it a deadline. <a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/corporatespeak" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#corporatespeak</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/languagematters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#languagematters</a>

Mark R. StonemanMERITOCRACY (U.S.) – a social, economic, and political system that uses the law to remove those people from view who orange boss prez gets "loser" vibes from. See also Apartheid, Jim Crow, segregation, eugenics, social engineering, old boys network, assholery. <a href="http://markstoneman.com" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">http://markstoneman.com</a> <a href="https://zirk.us/tags/LanguageMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#LanguageMatters</a>

Translating for Europe‼️Breaking news! We are joining forces with our interpreter colleagues to pool resources in the Knowledge Centre on Translation and Interpretation (<a href="https://respublicae.eu/tags/KCTI" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#KCTI</a>). 🔗 <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/kcti" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://ec.europa.eu/kcti</a>📚💡🌍 <a href="https://respublicae.eu/tags/LanguageMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#LanguageMatters</a> <a href="https://respublicae.eu/tags/KnowledgeIsPower" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#KnowledgeIsPower</a> <a href="https://respublicae.eu/tags/xl8" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#xl8</a> <a href="https://respublicae.eu/tags/1nt" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#1nt</a> <a href="https://respublicae.eu/@EUInterpreters" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@EUInterpreters</a> <a href="https://respublicae.eu/@EU_Commission" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@EU_Commission</a> --- <a href="https://nitter.privacydev.net/translatores/status/1879846137836056662#m" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://nitter.privacydev.net/translatores/status/1879846137836056662#m</a>

Mark R. StonemanOn the radio's 10 o'clock news this morning came an announcement about the next national security adviser and a comment about what he faced -- "the trouble" in Ukraine and the Middle East. Really AP News? That's what we're calling wars now? And genocidal wars at that! <a href="https://zirk.us/tags/Language" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Language</a> <a href="https://zirk.us/tags/LanguageMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#LanguageMatters</a>

Dr Susi Arnott<a href="https://mastodon.world/@davidho" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@davidho</a> You get 'compensation' in return for (mis)managing <a href="https://mastodon.green/tags/BarclaysBank" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#BarclaysBank</a>! Who knew? <a href="https://mastodon.green/tags/Languagematters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Languagematters</a>

Dr Susi ArnottListening to <a href="https://mastodon.green/tags/Olympics" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Olympics</a> coverage - the whole <a href="https://mastodon.green/tags/TeamGB" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#TeamGB</a> thing is a horrible reminder of <a href="https://mastodon.green/tags/Brexit" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Brexit</a> Late to this, but how has it been acceptable to ignore <a href="https://mastodon.green/tags/NorthernIreland" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#NorthernIreland</a> yet again ? <a href="https://mastodon.green/tags/UnitedKingdom" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#UnitedKingdom</a> <a href="https://mastodon.green/tags/Languagematters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Languagematters</a>

Dr Susi Arnott<a href="https://press.coop/@AJEnglish" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@AJEnglish</a> 'Arab Spring' so hopeful; have not outcomes been largely wintery? <a href="https://mastodon.green/tags/LanguageMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#LanguageMatters</a> <a href="https://mastodon.green/tags/journalism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#journalism</a>

APCWhat is the difference between "access" and "accessibility"? What do we mean when we talk about "autonomous infrastructures"? Why is it important to understand terms like "digital divide" or "data extractivism"?Language matters when it comes to technology and social justice. This is why APC has a launched a new glossary of ICT and social justice terms <a href="https://www.apc.org/node/40214" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://www.apc.org/node/40214</a><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/LanguageMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#LanguageMatters</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/TechandSocialJustice" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#TechandSocialJustice</a>

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