ELSINKI, FINLAND, has many claims to distinction, not the least of which is the appearance there in 1954 of an article written by Professor Alan Ross of Birmingham University. Professor Ross's article, Linguistic Class-Indicators in Present-Day English, argued the point that the British upper classes may be distinguished solely by their language. Professor Ross labeled such language U (upper class), and attached the label non-U to the terms and expressions extensively employed by lower elements in British society. Among examples listed by Professor Ross were non-U cycle for U bike, non-U greens for U vegetable, and non-U wealthy for U rich. In 1956 Nancy Mitford published in Encounter a commentary on Professor Ross's article which aroused considerable discussion here and abroad.2 Miss Mitford's effort served to popularize U and non-U classifications, and they continue to have a certain vogue in intellectual circles. U and non-U distinctions may be utilized in a variety of language areas to designate usages which are, in Professor Ross's words, correct, proper, legitimate, appropriate from usages which are incorrect, not proper, not legitimate. The vocabulary of political3 science4 is particularly suited for such analysis. Certain terms, by common agreement, exemplify sophisticated, modern, knowledgeable usage. Other expressions fall in the category of crude, obsolete, and uninformed language. Moreover, U and non-U distinctions may be applied to individuals, institutions, publications, and orientations. Indeed, it is the premise of this short paper that political scientists can establish their status in the profession by locating themselves with reference to a variety of U and non-U designations. It is hoped that the following U and non-U distinctions will assist in such efforts. An ear attuned to professional language can readily identify U and non-U terminology. Currently, behavior and methodology are entrenched in U vocabulary. Symbol is U; word is non-U. Variable, role, and interaction are U. So are model, especially equilibrium model, matrix, and cell (cells in a matrix is exceedingly U). Empirical is U, as in empirically oriented, whereas value is nonU, as in value oriented. Scale and scaling are U. System is U; government is non-U. Politics is non-U unless preceded by comparative or systematic, whereupon it becomes very U. Quantitative is U, against qualitative non-U. Influence is U; power is non-U. Process is as U as it can be. Group is non-U unless preceded by reference, small, or interest, in which case it is U. Only non-U persons refer to pressure groups. U articles feature correlations. Mathematics and statistics are U; philosophy,
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Dec 1, 1971
David Crystal 
Open Access