Lab Activity 11: Sensitive Language

Lab Activities
Lab Activity 11: Sensitive Language

Objective To practice recognizing and avoiding insensitive language.

Step 1: In each item below, write two sentences as instructed about the topic given. You may refer to Chapter 11. An example has been done for you.

Example:
Write a sentence about people who send "spam," or unsolicited e-mail advertisements, to you.
Using insensitive language: The boys who are sending me all that spam ought to go straight to jail.
Avoiding insensitive language: The people who are sending me all that spam ought to go straight to jail.

1. Write a sentence about people who talk loudly on their cell phones in public places.
Using insensitive language:
Avoiding insensitive language:

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type at the beginning of the paragraph, and at the end.

2. Write a sentence about people who cut in line in front of others.
Using insensitive language:
Avoiding insensitive language:

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type at the beginning of the paragraph, and at the end.

3. Write a sentence about people who never return phone calls.
Using insensitive language:
Avoiding insensitive language:

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type at the beginning of the paragraph, and at the end.

4. Write a sentence about people who spend most of their spare time watching sports on TV.
Using insensitive language:
Avoiding insensitive language:

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type at the beginning of the paragraph, and at the end.

5. Write a sentence about people who disagree with you on politics.
Using insensitive language:
Avoiding insensitive language:

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type at the beginning of the paragraph, and at the end.

Step 2: Now, select the topic of one of the sentences you wrote in Step 1. Write a paragraph of at least five sentences about that topic. In your paragraph, deliberately use insensitive language in every sentence. After you finish, go back over your paragraph and correct the insensitive language by crossing out the insensitive words and writing above them more sensitive language.

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type at the beginning of the paragraph, and at the end.

Step 3: For each item below, select the choice that avoids insensitive language. If the original sentence avoids insensitive language, select "No change."

1. As I was driving to the hockey game, a guy cut right in front of me from the next lane, then sped up so fast I never even saw what he looked like. [Hint]

As I was driving to the hockey game, some guy cut right in front of me from the next lane, then sped up so fast I never even saw what he looked like.

As I was driving to the hockey game, a woman driver cut right in front of me from the next lane, then sped up so fast I never even saw what she looked like.

As I was driving to the hockey game, someone cut right in front of me from the next lane, then sped up so fast I never even saw what he or she looked like.

No change.

2. This wild driver, probably a teenager, didn't even bother to signal.

This wild driver didn't even bother to signal.

This wild teenager didn't even bother to signal.

This wild driver, who I'd bet was a teenager, didn't even bother to signal.

No change.

3. His dented, sputtering car revealed the neighborhood he probably came from.

Her dented, sputtering car revealed the neighborhood she probably came from.

That driver's car was dented and sputtering.

His car was dented and sputtering.

No change.

4. Unfortunately, a lot of that kind of people go to hockey games, too.

Unfortunately, a lot of thoughtless people go to hockey games, too.

Unfortunately, a lot of that kind of people, if you know what I mean, go to hockey games, too.

Unfortunately, way too many of that kind of people go to hockey games, too.

No change.

Step 4: Now that you have practiced recognizing insensitive language, imagine that you are exploring a remote island and you come across a people who have been isolated from the rest of humanity for thousands of years. You are extremely offended by what you consider their indecent ways of dressing, wearing jewelry, relating with each other, and eating. Now write a paragraph of at least five sentences using insensitive language about these people Then, rewrite your paragraph eliminating the insensitive language. As you rewrite, consider what these people might think of you.

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type at the beginning of the paragraph, and at the end.