Alphabetical Entries: E

there is no parallel term for a man, and no inclusive term conveys quite the same idea of the wholesome, down-to-earth, back-to-nature woman. Despite the generally negative association of women with nature, this term seems positive and descriptive enough to retain. See also Mother Earth, Mother Nature, nature/she.

when referring to the people of India, this Eurocentric term is considered colonialist; they are properly called Indians. To contrast with American Indians, use "Asian Indian." In the U.S., those from India or of Asian Indian descent are known as Asian Indian Americans. See also Asian American (n), West Indian.

see Black English.

poverty.

the better term sometimes is economically exploited. "Many people of color have a painful history of being exploited for the benefit of European Americans.... 'Economically disadvantaged' sidesteps important issues, while 'economically exploited' more accurately represents the historical plight of people of color" (Clyde W. Ford, We Can All Get Along). See also culturally deprived/disadvantaged.

although this word could theoretically be used in a positive sense (and, in fact, there is a men's movement called Revolutionary Effeminism, which opposes the effects of masculinism), it's most commonly understood as pejorative and sexist, loaded with cultural stereotypes about what it means to be a man or a woman. Consider instead passive, gentle, timid, weak, agreeable, docile.

with reference to people, "effete" is pejorative; one of its meanings is "effeminate." Consider using less sex-linked alternatives: devitalized, exhausted; self-indulgent, decadent; overrefined. See also effeminate.

see statesman.

elder in the sense of a respected religious, community, or other leader of either sex is acceptable; it is also used in the sense of "older" ("the elder of the two sisters"); it is not used as a noun to mean "old person." It is also used as an adjective: Elderhostel, elder care, elder legal services. "Elderly" is unacceptable as a noun ("the elderly") and isn't too popular as an adjective—rarely does anyone self-identify as an elderly person. "Frail elderly" is acceptable in sociological or medical writing to refer to those older persons who because of physical, mental, or economic problems need support from society. The preferred term for most people is "older" ("as an older man, I think ..." or "the older couple in front of us"). See also ageism, old, senior/senior citizen.

acceptable term for the care of older people, especially when referring to an organized program.

acceptable sex-specific term; the parallel is "Oedipus complex."

nonsexist; the Latin root means to free from ownership.

in the metaphorical sense, this may very occasionally be the word you mean, but too often it indicts something or someone (often a woman) for a process that depends just as importantly on a man's willingness to be emasculated, and unflatteringly implies that he is a passive victim. No parallel terms exist relating to women for "emasculate," "unman," and "castrate." For sex-neutral terms, consider disarm, disable, weaken, incapacitate, undermine, deprive of courage/strength/vigor/power. See also castrate/castrating (metaphor), unman.

because of the political divisiveness over such concepts as "embryo" and "embryonic stem cells," use this term with precision or, when using it metaphorically, consider an alternative: inceptive, rudimentary, incipient, beginning, initial, immature, undeveloped, untried, fledgling, unhatched, primary, unfinished, imperfect, incomplete, elementary, half-finished, developing, sketchy, preparatory, unrefined, unpolished, becoming, unfolding, yet to come, in process.

correct Latin forms for f. sing. & pl., m. sing. & pl. As fewer people appreciate Latin distinctions, the pseudogeneric "emeritus" too often becomes the default. However, as these terms are rarely used without context, match the term to the individual(s). Better yet, be sure you need the word (as in a title). You might be talking simply about someone who has retired.

see immigrant. See also illegal alien/illegal/illegal immigrant.

woman or man.

the nickname of Père Joseph, French monk, diplomat, and confidant of Cardinal Richelieu, is used today to describe a confidential agent of either sex or, in popular usage, a renowned expert. "Grise" ("gray") was not the color of Joseph's hair, as we commonly think, but of his habit.

in our culture, "emotional" is not an admired trait; the word is most often used as an antonym for "rational" or "intelligent." Largely because of changing social attitudes toward women, "emotional" is not used as often as it once was to rebut a woman's arguments or generally discount her as a thinking human being. The problem today, says M. Adam (in Men Freeing Men), is that "women can now wax logical while men look silly waxing emotional." Until men are free to wax emotional and "emotional" is a positive word for both sexes, use it cautiously. See also irrational.

not a precise medical term; correct disease categories are: psychological disorders, psychiatric disorders, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, behavioral disorders, personality disorders. According to the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, students with emotional, behavioral, or mental disorders are currently categorized as having an emotional disturbance. See the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for more information.

acceptable official title. An empress may be an imperial title holder in her own right or she may be the wife or widow of an emperor.

enchanter. See also feminine word endings.

although this French expression is grammatically masculine, enfant refers to both sexes and the term is used inclusively in English-speaking countries as well.

enlistee, service member, recruit, enlisted member/person/personnel/soldier/sailor, soldier, sailor; enlisted man and enlisted woman.

someone who has/is living with epilepsy. Never use "epileptic" as a noun to describe a person. See also epileptic fit, fit.