Steve Block wrote:
Jimmy Wales wrote:
Some are easy, of course, like the Wikipedia entry claiming that the word blackboard ‘‘is now perceived by some as being ’politically incorrect’ in the United Kingdom.’’ ‘‘Citation needed,’’ a parenthesis cautioned. Indeed: a Nexis search of UK publications found some 30 blackboards in a week, against just three chalkboards.
This is a quote from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_change
Our full text reads:
Political correctness is a real or perceived attempt to refine or restrict language and terms used in public discussion to those deemed acceptable or appropriate. For example "blackboard" is now perceived
by >some as being "politically incorrect" in the United Kingdom, [citation >needed] and so teachers are instructed to call it a "chalkboard" >instead.
From last six months:
Pet lip Evening Chronicle (Newcastle-upon-Tyne); Aug 16, 2006; Sophy Doughty; p. 3
Standing up to the PC brigade Western Daily Press 24 August 2006
My news archive is limited to post 1992 but I can get back to:
Political Correctness goes beyond a joke The Sunday Times (London); May 16, 1993; Peter McKay;
I can cite the portion where the cite is needed, but I can't cite the follow on text, that chalk board is now preferred. Considering most schools moved to white boards by now, it's a bit redundant, but...
Spoke too soon: PC or not PC ... that was 1993's burning question;Review of the Year 1993 The Sunday Times (London); Dec 26, 1993; Maurice Chittenden;
Contains the line:"Blackboards have been replaced with chalkboards in some schools." I would think that supports the claim, although perhaps it may be wise to contextualise it to the early 1990s.