Language again: inclusion v erasure

(Please see update at end of post)

I often harp on language usage, and I’m often irked when authors use it thoughtlessly.¹

This post by Alexis Hall expands on a couple of reasons why we all should think a bit more about how we express ourselves:

And for that matter, LGBTQ+ has issues as a term because it implies the inclusion of groups of people who are often, in reality, excluded by the mainstream LGBTQ+ community. And, bringing this back to publishing, it’s especially problematic in romance because very often LGBTQ+ is used to basically mean m/m. And part of me says that the use of inclusive language is a necessary precursor to genuine inclusion, but part of me says that it can be used as a smokescreen to disguise to absence of that inclusion. And my poor word choice at the RITAs is a good example of this. I instinctively used the more general term and, in so doing, betrayed my own failure to recognise the achievement of a writer of non-m/m LGBTQ+ romance.

…

On language, and why it matters.

Yesterday, over at Karen Knows Best, I blogged about yet another Ellora’s Cave author who is asking her readers not to purchase the books she still has with that publisher, because she hopes to get the rights to her work back.

In her post she tells her story with this oh so shitty publisher–all without mentioning them by name, which kind of leaves me pondering¹–and then posts all her Ellora’s Cave’s covers.

So far, I’m nodding my head–good for her, finally speaking up for herself, and good luck on that.

Until I read the paragraph right below the covers.

Then, I saw red:

I am such a language snob

Which is problematic, as I have a strong accent, and often mispronounce words that I have only seen written, and never heard before; and because this thing I’m going to rant about? It is a apparently a very widespread thing,¹ and not actually wrong (it just bothers me²).

No, it’s NOT bullying.

It’s been a weird few weeks and people’s danders are aup all over the place.

But please, could we try and use this one correctly?

No, what the toxic egg aka Nut is doing is not bullying¹–because it is not in a position of power.2

Thinking time – language

So many thoughts on this topic.

During the recent shitstorm that prompted the very brief blogger blackout, the issue of language came up. (Among a multitude of other issues, for another day)

In many of the blogs I read there seemed to be at least one person describing Kathleen Hale as ‘crazy’ or variants thereof. I know I used ‘unhinged’ at least once–and I wish I could take it back.

Because words do have power.

Robyn Carr’s Virgin River (the series) — a commentary.

Once again, this is not a review. I’m not going to give a summary, or even the back cover blurb, for any of the novels in this long (oh my good lord, looooooooooong!) series¹. This is basically a bunch of incoherent musings inspired by this and this conversations over at Dear Author, and the fact that I found myself re reading the first few of the Virgin River books.

My feelings about these books are rather mixed. There are many things that bother me about them–some of them fairly subtle, some of them quite in your face–but then there are others that resonate with me in a very positive way. In the end, I can’t recommend any of them wholeheartedly, but neither can I condemn them as wallbangers/DNF.

Since it is not a review, please do keep in mind that there are plenty of spoilers for the series within–and a lot of pointed criticism.

Reader, beware…

Language – Fry and Laurie

I could listen to Stephen Fry talk until his vocal chords wore out.