‘The French’ is dehumanising term, says AP

THE Associated Press was yesterday forced to apologise for suggesting “the French” is a dehumanising term in guidance on language sensitivity.

The American news agency was criticised by the French themselves after posting some of its style guidance on Twitter.

AP said: “We recommend avoiding general and often dehumanising “the” labels such as the poor, the mentally ill, the French, the disabled.”

“Instead, use wording such as people with mental illnesses. And use these descriptions only when clearly relevant.”

The rules were ridiculed online. Éric Zemmour, the Right-wing firebrand who ran for the French presidency, declared “We are the French” in response. The French embassy in the USA joked on Twitter that it should be renamed the “embassy of Frenchness” from now on.

AP said that it would update the offending tweet, which was sent on Thursday night, and apologised yesterday.

“The use of ‘the French’ in this tweet by AP was inappropriate and has caused unintended offence,” it said.