D&D 5E D&D's Inclusivity Language Alterations In Core Rules

In recent months, WotC has altered some of the text found in the original 5th Edition core rulebooks to accommodate D&D's ongoing move towards inclusivity. Many of these changes are reflected on D&D Beyond already--mainly small terminology alterations in descriptive text, rather than rules changes.

Teos Abadia (also known as Alphastream) has compiled a list of these changes. I've posted a very abbreviated, paraphrased version below, but please do check out his site for the full list and context.

• Savage foes changed to brutal, merciless, or ruthless.
• Barbarian hordes changed to invading hordes.
• References to civilized people and places removed.
• Madness or insanity removed or changed to other words like chaos.
• Usage of orcs as evil foes changed to other words like raiders.
• Terms like dim-witted and other synonyms of low intelligence raced with words like incurious.
• Language alterations surrounding gender.
• Fat removed or changed to big.
• Use of terms referring to slavery reduced or altered.
• Use of dark when referring to evil changed to words like vile or dangerous.

This is by no means the full list, and much more context can be found on Alphastream's blog post.

 

[Scribe]

IME it's a mix: while many just say they're Canadian, there's also many X-Canadian where X can be one of many things (here on the west coast, the most common I encounter are Chinese-Canadian and the more generic Asian-Canadian).

I've never heard someone say 'Asian-Canadian' but on the coast, yeah I've heard Chinese-Canadian, especially in Victoria or Vancouver.

Never growing up though, which would seem to indicate some regional factors (and history) at play.

 

[bedir than]

I've never heard someone say 'Asian-Canadian' but on the coast, yeah I've heard Chinese-Canadian, especially in Victoria or Vancouver.

Never growing up though, which would seem to indicate some regional factors (and history) at play.

The cast of Kim's Convenience frequently talks about their origin. They're from Toronto. They're really famous, so it's confusing that people who don't have that level of fame insist this doesn't happen.

 

[Scribe]

The cast of Kim's Convenience frequently talks about their origin. They're from Toronto. They're really famous, so it's confusing that people who don't have that level of fame insist this doesn't happen.

What does their fame, and growing up one of the few other major cities in Canada have to do with what I experienced growing up on the prairies?

 

[MGibster]

Not really.

I used to work at an archive, and one of my duties was to help people doing research and that included genealogical research. We would get African American patrons who would come in to do their search and almost every single one of them ran into a wall at 1860. This was the last time slaves appeared on the US Census. Some of them were able to get passed the wall but a great many of them couldn't. Most of the people I worked with weren't surprised, but it bothered them.

It might not have harmed them in a way that's as tangible as housing and job discrimination, but it's part of the overall harm they've suffered over the centuries.

 

[bedir than]

What does their fame, and growing up one of the few other major cities in Canada have to do with what I experienced growing up on the prairies?

Toronto isn't the coast.
Also, it's something that they talk about on national tv and radio programming (though that's a recent phenomena, which they have said has helped more people understand how they grew).

Paul talks extensively about how other Canadians wanted to take away his heritage and that without the show he'd remain having to diminish his identity because of this insistence that there aren't X-Canadians.

 

[Parmandur]

There is a difference between Scots Irish and Irish Protestant

Edit: Since my original comment was ambiguous, Scots Irish (or Ulster Scots) are distinct subgroup within Irish Protestantism.

Approximately the same as between (ethnically) CFhokic Isish Amdricans and modern Irish Catholics, sure. But i can tell you from my 23 and Me map report that the link is there.

 

[Scribe]

Toronto isn't the coast.
Also, it's something that they talk about on national tv and radio programming (though that's a recent phenomena, which they have said has helped more people understand how they grew).

Paul talks extensively about how other Canadians wanted to take away his heritage and that without the show he'd remain having to diminish his identity because of this insistence that there aren't X-Canadians.

There is no insistence that there arent X-Canadians.

My personal experience growing up? It wasnt a thing. Thats my personal experience.

 

[bedir than]

There is no insistence that there arent X-Canadians.

My personal experience growing up? It wasnt a thing. Thats my personal experience.

Multiple Canadians in this very thread have said that it isn't a thing. Paul said people insisted it wasn't a thing.

Am I supposed to not believe people when they say this?

 

[FrogReaver]

I used to work at an archive, and one of my duties was to help people doing research and that included genealogical research. We would get African American patrons who would come in to do their search and almost every single one of them ran into a wall at 1860. This was the last time slaves appeared on the US Census. Some of them were able to get passed the wall but a great many of them couldn't. Most of the people I worked with weren't surprised, but it bothered them.

I'm sure.

It might not have harmed them in a way that's as tangible as housing and job discrimination, but it's part of the overall harm they've suffered over the centuries.

I don't see how it's even harm in an intangible way. There have been countless harms, so not diminishing that... but this?

 

[Scribe]

Multiple Canadians in this very thread have said that it isn't a thing. Paul said people insisted it wasn't a thing.

Am I supposed to not believe people when they say this?

Then quote them and ask them about it because looking back at my posts, I either said 'most' or 'never in my experience' or 'regionally'.

Growing up on the prairies in the 80s? Yeah, not a thing you heard. You heard 'Canadian'. From the kid who's parents came from India, the Philippines, the First Nations kids, and every white kid.

My parents have never once said 'English-Canadian' or 'American-Canadian' and my Grandparents (Irish/English) the same. Heck, my Dad spent more time in Japan than any other non-Canadian country, and we had more Japanese cultural additions to our diet/lives growing up than we had English/Irish!

My personal experience, is that the answer (if it was even asked!) was 'Canadian'.

Now, I dont know Paul, from Peter as despite the stereotype we Canadians dont all know each other. He had a different experience? In the largest Canadian city? Well lets say considering we were essentially a world apart, that is not exactly surprising.