AMA updates and why we love them

One of the things I like about English is that, although any given context has right and wrong, what is considered right and wrong changes across situations and over time. I’ve compared it to wearing a bathing suit to the beach but not to address the U.N. …or UN.

Responsible style guide teams keep things updated. This year, the American Medical Association’s Manual of Style released new guidance for discussing people of different ages and situations, drawing a distinction between what is correct vs. incorrect and what is merely preferred. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Say “right hemisphere” instead of “right brain.” This may be because “right brain” has another meaning in popular culture, referring to the logical and thoughtful parts of an individual’s personality rather than the supposedly more artistic “left brain.” This is based on a since-debunked belief that creativity was physically located in the left hemisphere.
• Refer to people as “unhoused person” or “person experiencing homelessness” to minimize stigma. “Homelessness” is still acceptable when referring to the condition, as in “our city’s homelessness problem.” This is an example of person-first language.
• Say “at the 6 o’clock position” instead of “at 6 o’clock.” This preserves the common English clock metaphor while minimizing the possibility that the reader will take it as an indicator of time.
• The endings “-ic”/”-ical,” as in “historic”/”historical” are dealer’s choice so long as each document is internally consistent. That means writers may use “a biological discovery of historical significance” but no mix and match.

I disagree with the AMA on one point. I’ve known enough autistic people to say no, it’s not always “person with autism.” Call the individual whatever they say to call them.