TLDR:
Google is going to do inclusive language based grammar suggestions.
- Instead of Chairman, it will recommend you use chairperson
- Mail carrier instead of mailman.
- When offering text predictions it may choose "them" instead of `him` or `her` if you type the phrase "We have a new investor, do you want to meet _____?"
When writing in a shared Google Docs file, the online word processing tool will suggest edits if someone types a word it does not deem to be “inclusive”. If an employee writes “chairman”, for example, it will show a pop-up which suggests changing the word to “chairperson” or “mail carrier” instead of “mailman”.
Google will also make other stylistic suggestions like to avoid passive voice or offensive language.
This information came from Telegraph via MSN https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/technology/google-docs-to-pr...
So what are your thoughts? Is this a step forward, or google overlords over-stepping? Also do you think this will become a new norm for other word processing platforms such as Microsoft Word? Will people just ignore these suggestions since most ignore spelling and other grammar errors already?
Comments
It is a step forward.
Yes, it is telling you how to write and therefore how to think. But that is entire purpose of using a program to make grammar suggestion. Especially since it doesn't force the user to accept the suggestions.
I wonder if they will provide an option to turn inclusive language on or off.
Some of the suggestions make no sense
but there again, this is Google we are talking about.
Yes, I'm sticking my neck out on this but...
If you are meeting someone and all parties to the meeting know that the person to be met is of a particular gender then it stupid to not recognise their gender correctly rather than some politically correct gobbledygook. The google model just makes things blander. I know of a few very active feminists who would give you a slap in the face if you called them 'Ms'. They hate it with a vengeance. They don't hesitate to correct anyone using it to them. They like to be different, not part of the herd and why not eh?
If you are writing a scene then it is down to you, the author to write the words as you see fit. Google can go take a running jump into a black hole as far as I'm concerned.
Autocorrect is already bad enough. It is the bane of my life at the moment.
Samantha
is that
bane, beigne, bagne or some other variant? lol
Madeline Anafrid Bell
Mail carrier
Actually, in the USA at least, the correct term is letter carrier. I was one for a little over 14 years, many years ago. My official title was city carrier, PFS level 5, step O, to distinguish from rural carrier. Their union is the National Association of Letter Carriers.