Topic: American Heritage Dictionary Responds to “Anchor Baby” Definition Criticism

[Pandora]

In response to ImmigrationImpact.com’s critique of the definition of “anchor baby” included in the latest edition of the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, the executive editor of the dictionary has agreed to revise the definition of to reflect the derogatory nature of the term.

In conversations with Mary Giovagnoli, Director of the Immigration Policy Center, Executive Editor Steven Kleinedler promised a swift and careful revision of the term. Mr. Kleinedler noted that the editors are already undergoing further review on how the term is commonly used and said “we will be adding a label to the term, either derogatory or offensive, which I acknowledge should have been done in the first place, and we will determine how to revise the definition. Then on Monday we begin making the actual change—first on the website, and then we begin propagating the change out to the electronic products and in the next printing.”

ImmigrationImpact.com will continue to monitor the changes and urges the editors to adopt a definition that reflects the truly insidious nature of this term

.

Oh, I see.  It isn't the practice that's insidious, it's the calling of it what it is that's bad.  Fine.  Duly noted.

H/T Oregon Marie

Link

[hemm]

"ImmigrationImpact.com will continue to monitor the changes and urges the editors to adopt a definition that reflects the truly insidious nature of this term"

What about the insidious ACTION that this term describes?!?!?

Boneheads = immigration impact

[charlesoakwood]

At the time this became law if one survived to adulthood he was exceptional, therefore; America was populated with exceptional people.  Today America is populated with unremarkable people, at best; now is the time revise our laws to comport with the original outcomes and link immigration to exceptionalism.

[Libertas]

American Heritage...umm, whose heritage are they caving into?

Note to self: Burn all American Heritage dictionaries and never ever spend one dime on one.

[IronDioPriest]

Let's see what the original AH Dictionary definition is...

[blockquote]"anchor baby n. A child born to a noncitizen mother in a country that grants automatic citizenship to children born on its soil, especially such a child born to parents seeking to secure eventual citizenship for themselves and often other members of their family."[/blockquote]

What is unfactual about that? That is the definition. Adding the "derogatory" tag will not change the fact. It will make the definition less factual, and subject to opinion. That is not the job of a dictionary.

 

[Damn_Lucky]

Let's see what the original AH Dictionary definition is...

[blockquote]"anchor baby n. A child born to a noncitizen mother in a country that grants automatic citizenship to children born on its soil, especially such a child born to parents seeking to secure eventual citizenship for themselves and often other members of their family."[/blockquote]

What is unfactual about that? That is the definition. Adding the "derogatory" tag will not change the fact. It will make the definition less factual, and subject to opinion. That is not the job of a dictionary.

 

Sounds correct to me so what now we start rewriting dictionaries as well as history? Just when I thought we were turning a corner.