Landmark English Communication III (Lesson 5-4,5)

In the US, / people worried for years / about how best to describe black people. // The word ʻnegroʼ was felt to be offensive, / as was a phrase like ʻthe blacksʼ. // Eventually the name ʻAfrican-Americanʼ became popular, / and it is still widespread now. // But thereʼs no guarantee / that todayʼs popular name will still be here in 10 yearsʼ time. //

worry about～ ～を心配する
for years ：何年も

how best to describe
how to describe：表し方
best が加わり、一番良い表し方

The word 'negro' was felt to be offensive
The word ='negro' 「という」同格
was felt to be 「～であると感じられた」be=である
as =同様に
※negroは「単語」the blacksは「フレーズ」

widespreadは過去分詞だからit is widespread で受け身。

there's no guarantee：保証はない
that 以下は「～という」したがって、～という保証はない
in ten years' time：10年後に
※inの用法：～後に

Governments, employers, and other social groups sometimes try to sort out the problem / by favouring one name and banning another. / ʻThatʼs the name everyone should useʼ, they say. // And if we donʼt use it, / we can get into trouble. // We might be fined or lose our jobs / if we donʼt use the ʻcorrectʼ names. // This is why we see the phrase ʻpolitically correctʼ used so much / these days. // To say that a name is politically correct / (or ʻPCʼ for short) means / that itʼs the official name for something. // It also means / that this name is supposed to give no offence / to the people / it refers to. //

sort out ：分類する
favour = favor　味方する、好意を持つ
ban 禁止する

That's the name everyone should use
それは皆が使うべき名前だ

get into ～　（困難や問題に）～に足を踏み入れる

fine=罰金を科す

This is why （こういうわけで）we see the phrase 'politically correct'（私たちは「政治的に正しいフレーズ」を目にします）used so much（よく使われるのを）

To say that a name is politically correct means～
ある名前が政治的に正しいと言うことは～を意味します。
the people it refer to
それ（その言い方）が指している人々