[MR] positive words versus negative words

[Becky McEllistrem]

There are such things as positive words and negative words.  You're tutored on that frequently when writing for business - press releases etc.

We can choose to make an effort or not make an effort to change our language.  It's about whether or not this is important to you.

However if you choose to avoid change, realize that your language could be leaving a negative impression on potential newcomers.  I know many of my attitudes about SCA are unusual.  This is why I tend to avoid demos and newcomers until they've found other influences before I am one.

Mundane has is defined as boring.  Modern is defined as something positive.  Many of us have moved from describing new people as mundanes to describing them as modern because being called boring when first introduced to us is rude.

Medieval does have the word evil in it and when you only have a few minutes with a person at a demo it can have an affect on the impressions you leave.  Middle Ages does have a more positive affect on people.  I've seen it in the reactions of my listeners at demos.

Troll is a wierd word to see at the door of a group that claims to be historical and not sci fi.  But I also fear that visitors could be ridiculed before even entering the event for using the wrong word at the gate so there's always a toss up.

The SCA is about how much or how little you put into it.  We can train ourselves towards more positive language or not. It's up to each individual to decide what they're going to do about that as there's no laws.

I've chosen to be myself, speak out more bluntly and not stress out so much about recognition but I also avoid situations where I might around an easily influence newcomer.  (Elists being the one exception.)

But if someone says "we really won't accept your help at a demo because you keep calling newcomers boring and offending them" I'm not sure you'd have much right to be offended.

Rebecca