DEAR MISS MANNERS: We had a police officer refer to a crime victim in her late 50s as “elderly.” I don’t think it is an adjective that ever needs to be used; stating only the age should be sufficient. It is a word that doesn’t add any valid information to a newspaper article, and it is based on personal biases. Do you think I am overreacting?
GENTLE READER: Someone would have reacted badly even if the victim had indeed been elderly. The descriptor was, as you say, unnecessary. Miss Manners only hopes that the police officer learns from reactions such as yours to omit the adjective next time, rather than to refer to the next victim as a “youthful octogenarian.”
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