Mind your language: University cancels phrases 'bury the hatchet' and 'kill two birds with one stone' for 'causing harm'
22 December 2022, 03:20 | Updated: 22 December 2022, 03:26
A university has 'cancelled' a collection of phrases including "bury the hatchet" and "killing two birds with one stone" as it considers them "harmful".
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Stanford University is doing away with the language it regards as sexist, ableist and potentially racist.
It comes as part of the university's "elimination of harmful language initiative", which has seen them engage with stakeholder groups for 18 months.
The guide highlights words that devalue "people who live with disabilities".
For example, a "blind study" has been changed to a "masked study" and someone cannot be described as "tone deaf" but instead "unenlightened".
Read more: University bosses urge lecturers to avoid using the word ‘Christmas’
Stanford first revealed its plan to revise language used in May and intends to remove the words from its websites and IT systems, according to the Times.
Among the changes are 13 words and phrases considered "culturally appropriative", 30 terms deemed sexist and more than 30 terms reflecting "institutionalised racism".
"Killing two birds with one stone" was blacklisted for suggesting violence against animals and "bury the hatchet" was abandoned because it appropriates "a centuries-old tradition among some North American indigenous peoples".
Meanwhile, "rule of thumb" has been discarded as it references "an old British law that allowed men to beat their wives with sticks no wider than their thumb".
"Karen", used to ridicule a group of people, was also included, with alternate recommendations being "demanding" or "entitled white woman".
Dee Mostofi, a representative for the university, told The Times the guidelines were "meant for internal use".
She added that the initiative was "specifically created by and intended for use within the university IT community".
