SD 'Language Challenge' Number 8 - The Finale!

Here's a reminder of what the SD Language Challenge is all about

We've reached the end of February and so the end of our month's foray into 'Language Matters'.  Thank you and well done to everyone who's taken a look or tried one or all of the Challenges. We hope it's been informative, inspiring and of course, of practical use.  But wait! there's one last Challenge to go....read on for our Grand Finale!

Challenge Number 8. Take Your Pick and Pledge

Our final challenge is to take your pick from a range of ways that you could consolidate and/or continue your language journey, and make a determined pledge about it: here are the possibilities:

• Make a 'word pledge' - perhaps building from Challenge 7, choose a word or phrase that you pledge you're not going to use anymore, or to replace with another word or phrase whenever you feel it about to pass your lips
• Create  your own 'language philosophy' - how important is caring about the language you use, both verbally and non-verbally?  what difference do you think it makes in your interactions and encounters?  Write or type it and make a pledge to keep it close, to remind you when needed
• Read some of the associated documents, reports and blogs that we assembled in the original 'SD Language Challenge' invitation page, here - make a pledge to revisit them from time to time, or to share the ones that you think are especially useful or powerful, in your diabetes-related circles
• Become a 'Language Matters Champion' - pledge to notice unhelpful references, eg negative, stereotyping, blaming, stigmatising words or phrases, and respond with a gentle nudge to the writer or speaker towards the 'Language Matters' documents and literature.
• Spread the SD Challenge - make a pledge to challenge others to take the SD Language Challenge
• Hashtag it - make a pledge to use and follow #languagematters wherever you can in your social media
• Finally...feel free to make your own pledge - reflect on what's most important to you in relation to 'Language Matters' and decide how you're going to put it into practical action

Whatever you decide to do, wishing you every success and confidence that your efforts will definitely make a difference to the diabetes conversation #languagematters 

Challenge 8, and your 'Language Matters' future, awaits!

Download 'Language Matters' here (opens PDF)

We really hope you'll share your thoughts and activities with this challenge (and all of them) via Facebook, Twitter or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  Where relevant, we'll be using #sdlangmatters and #languagematters

Good Luck! can't wait to hear your successes :)