Word Usage
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Inclusive IT Language: Replacement Terms
Language, jargon and terminology traditionally used in certain fields or disciplines may be unintentionally offensive. Here are suggested replacement terms for language and terminology often found in information technology.
Master: As noted in this guide, use master for an academic accreditation (i.e., mastery of a concept, master’s degree). Don’t use it when it can connote a power differential or positions of authority and subservience involving people.
Colours: Using colours to describe things is often rooted in racial or ethnic origins or in metaphors that connote differences among people. Offensive practices include labelling white as good, black as bad, red as attackers or yellow as not-inclusive third parties.
Gender: Refrain from gendering things unnecessarily. Example: sister study
| Non-Inclusive Term | Suggested Replacement |
|---|---|
| Blackbox testing | Closed-box testing |
| Blackhat (hacker) | Hacker |
| Whitehat (hacker) | Ethical hacker |
| Blacklist | Block list |
| Disable | Deactivate |
| Enable | Activate |
| Dummy value | Placeholder value |
| Dummy variable | Placeholder variable |
| Greylist | Suspicious list |
| Ladies and gentlemen | Friends, Everyone |
| Master/Slave | Primary/secondary |
| Native feature | Built-in feature |
| Powwow | Meeting, huddle |
| Scrum master | Scrum coach or Team facilitator |
| Spirit animal | Muse, inspiration |
| Third world country | Developing country |
| Ticket master | Ticket leader |
| Red team | Ethical hacking team |
| War room | Situation room |
| Webmaster | Website administrator |
| White paper | Expert paper |
| White space | Empty space |
| Whitebox testing | Open-box testing |
| Whitelist | Allow list |
Word Choice
When given a choice of words, choose simple and familiar words over formal.
- about rather than approximately
- use rather than utilize or employ
- try rather than attempt
- help, ease or guide rather than facilitate
- call for rather than necessitate
- send rather than transmit
- start or begin rather than commence
- met rather than held a meeting
- program or plan rather than initiative
- serve, fit or house rather than accommodate
- improve rather than ameliorate
- get or buy rather than acquire
- on or about rather than regarding, concerning, relating to or pertaining to
- before rather than prior to
- give rather than provide with
- buy rather than purchase
Commonly misspelled words
The University refers to the Canadian Oxford Dictionary for questions about spelling.
Here are a few that come up often in our work:
- Agribusiness, not agri-business
- Agri-food, not agrifood
- Anesthesia, not anaesthesia
- Biomechanics, not bio-mechanics
- College of Biological Science, not Biological Sciences
- College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, not Physical Science
- Co-operation, not cooperation
- Cyberattack, not cyber attack
- Cybersecurity, not cyber security
- Daycare, not day care
- Enrol, not enroll
- Enrolment, not enrollment
- Health care, not healthcare
- Home care, not homecare
- Honeybee, not honey bee (except the Honey Bee Research Centre)
- Life cycle, not lifecycle
- Long-standing, not longstanding
- Multidisciplinary, not multi-disciplinary
- Non-profit, not nonprofit
- Ontario Agricultural College, not Agriculture College
- Post-doctoral and post-doc, not postdoctoral and postdoc
- Post-secondary, not postsecondary
- Prerequisite, not pre-requisite
- U of G, not UoG or UofG. Never “the U of G”
- Well-being, not wellbeing
