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.
Loading tweets...
2 comments
2 pings
Elena Gutierrez says:
December 5, 2011 at 10:55 am (UTC -5 )
An online petition has been started …
WK says:
December 6, 2011 at 5:29 am (UTC -5 )
I like the original definition. It is accurate. The suggested definition is also accurate. I don’t find the term derogatory. It is what it is.
‘Anchor Baby’ Controversy: American Heritage Dictionary To Add | Cuéntame | Latino News. Video. Music. Impact says:
December 5, 2011 at 5:08 pm (UTC -5 )
[...] American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, responding to criticism for including “anchor baby” in its latest edition, will add a label identifying the [...]
“Anchor baby” is now a “derogatory” term « Jewamongyou's Blog says:
December 17, 2011 at 1:47 pm (UTC -5 )
[...] of the dictionary’s Fifth Edition by noting that it is an offensive and derogatory term. He acknowledges that it “should have been done in the first [...]