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How many bank robbers have you heard called illegal withdrawers? The rational for this difference is sound, but I don't see this happening because the public d
by chinpokomon 12y ago
How many bank robbers have you heard called illegal withdrawers?
The rational for this difference is sound, but I don't see this happening because the public decided undocumented was a better word then illegal for the direct object. More likely the language would adapt and allow the "incorrect" usage, for the same reason we're losing our irregular verbs.
- npizzolato 12y agoWe don't refer to bank robbers as illegal withdrawers, but we do refer to them as felons -- a person who has committed a felony. We attach the action to the person because shouldn't a person be defined by their actions? People can have many titles. A felon can also be a father, a loving husband, a liar, etc. But why should a person who has immigrated illegally not have the title of "illegal immigrant" among their list?
- talmand 12y agoBy labeling them "bank robbers" you are criminalizing the person and not the action. That is inherently unfair and you should apologize to these affected people for your insensitive remarks. The reasoning is sound and a quick look around at the groups who have been pushing the change in language, for right or wrong, shows that many of them use that very reasoning. To downplay the issue. The funny thing about all this is I had a similar thread happening today about the proper use of the description "illegal firearm".