"Freshmen" - is the word derogatory?
During the National Journal/NBC post-SOTU breakfast, attendees have learned that it is no longer politically correct in the House Democratic Caucus to refer to the newly elected members from '06 as "Freshmen."
This was discovered when House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn first referred to the "freshmen" and then corrected himself. Then he admitted the new policy.
According to Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA) (also newly elected "freshman"), he "suspected" it had something to do with the word "new" being more appealing to the public than "freshman," which can be seen by some as derogatory.
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I guess at Case, it will be first-year students, or newly admitted, or fresh from high school, or the ones that can get freshman forgiveness... wait, that needs to change too!
Comments
Posted by: Jeffrey Quick
Posted on: January 25, 2007 10:15 AM
I always liked "frosh" myself. But I suppose the correct term is really "persyns of freshness".
Posted by: Chris Chang
Posted on: January 25, 2007 02:00 PM
Out of all the things in the world, to be insulted by the term "freshman" shows just how "fresh" you really are.
Posted by: Joel Kraft
Posted on: January 25, 2007 03:36 PM
The students are actually officially "first-year students" here at Case as well, and have been for some time. It really only catches on with folks like admissions, orientation and housing that work with them a lot. Your class standing can be freshman, but you aren't really "a freshman".
"Freshman" is so common in our culture that it would take a verry verrry long time to get rid of. Just on campus, we still call the shuttles "greenies" even though it has around 15 years since they were actually green.
Posted by: James (Author)
Posted on: January 25, 2007 04:39 PM
True. But in a good number of high schools: it would be freshmen, sophomore, junior, and senior, instead of the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades.