San Diego, California (PRWEB) July 17, 2005
The BBCÂs use of the term Âmisguided criminals and Âbombers when referring to the perpetrators of the recent London blasts have stirred an international debate on politically correct language. The words replace the term Âterrorist, which according to the BBC can Âcarry emotional or value judgmentsÂ.
According to the Global Language MonitorÂs (http://www.LanguageMonitor.com) exclusive PQ (Political-sensitivity Quotient) Index, the term Âterrorist appears 700% more frequently on the web than Âbomber when linked to terror-related activities such as suicide bombings, and the like. When tracking global news articles only, the word Âbomber can be found in about 40% of the articles, though usually in combination with Âterrorist or terrorist-related words. The phrase Âmisguided criminals is found only about 5000 times on the entire web, many times linked to the emerging BBC story.
BBC guidelines state that credibility should never be undermined by the Âcareless use of words which (sic) carry emotional or value judgmentsÂ.
ÂThe primary function of a news organization is to detail events as they occur in their existing cultural milieu, thereby recording Âthe first draft of historyÂ. The BBC seems concerned with overstepping this boundary into what was once called Âyellow journalismÂ. The greater danger here is to filter emotion-laden events of all emotional content in their pursuit of the non-judgmental, said Paul JJ Payack, President (and the WordMan) of the Global Language Monitor.
The PQ Index is a proprietary algorithm that tracks politically sensitive words and phrases in the print. The words and phrases are tracked in relation to their frequency, contextual usage and appearance in global media outlets, thereby separating the spin and the hype from the facts. The PQ Index is published quarterly.
The Global Language Monitor documents, analyzes, and tracks the latest trends in word usage and word choices, and their impact on the various aspects of culture, with a particular emphasis upon Global English.
For more information, call 1.925.367.7557, or visit http://www.LanguageMonitor.com.
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