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

[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.