Language evolving over time

[flexagon]

Lately at work people have been trying to use "blocklist" and allow-list" rather than "blacklist" and "whitelist", when referring to exception cases, to get away from a "white is good, black is bad" metaphor that may have its roots in racism (though, as far as I know, nobody knows if it does have roots in racism). I actually like "blocklist", but "allow list" doesn't roll off the tongue as nicely... I might prefer a simple "passlist" or "yeslist".

I've noticed myself picking up the term "heavy lift" when referring to something that's going to be difficult: as in, finding a custom sofa to fit this particular space is going to be a heavy lift.

What else is creeping into people's lexicons this year?

Comments

[randysmith]

I like "passlist"; I'm on board with that vocabulary change.

I end up with vocabulary specific to a particular relationship all the time (e.g. in one relationship "ruff" means either "Shall I fetch that for you?" or "Fetching!" depending on tone (and "meow" means "Nope!" in the same context :-}), and in a different relationship a reference to "80%" is a reference to non-verbal communication, usually when that person is saying something very loudly without saying anything :-}).

More general vocabulary? I've been consciously trying to use "frisky" as a negative-connotation free way of describing high sexual activity, but without a lot of success. Nothing naturally creeping in comes to mind.

[flexagon]

Oh yeah, vocabulary specific to a relationship is a huge thing. I have probably at least 20 words that mean something weird to me and Norwood -- for instance, to "snake" is to get ready for bed, but only in a pre-announced way (or as the announcement: "snaking" == "I'm getting ready for bed now"). The same process done without pre-announcement is "sneaking".

I like "frisky", perhaps because I am frisky and I find this to be a cute way of saying it. Failing that there's always a clinical-sounding "pretty sexually active".

[conuly]

I haven't heard blocklist, though it's a simple enough change due to its similarity with blacklist.

I have heard access list, though.

I doubt the terms are linked with racism - "dark is bad/scary, light is good" is widespread, even among people who are dark skinned, and probably has more to do with the fact that we're diurnal than anything else. But if there are a lot of people who perceive it as racist and feel uncomfortable with those terms then it's just as easy to change my words.

[ironymaiden]

i didn't think about it at all until i read Steven Barnes' Insh'Allah books, where he consciously reverses many of those common phrases. those books are great steampunky alt-history, but they also take an axe to the roots of things that i never had to think about as a white American.

[cordjostler]

Interesting; I've never considered the terminology, but the change certainly makes sense.

I agree with you, "allow-list" is a mouthful, but at the same time, I really like how clearly it communicates what it is.

blocklist is rough for me. it sounds like a list of things keeping you from doing jira tickets. haha.

[heisenbug]

I hope people don't start confusing blocklist with blockchain.