A word we don't use anda word I hate

Not sure I entirely get you on the small/young thing. Small children are vulnerable but many young children are taller than many adults and are still vulnerable. I'm not aware that there's an objection to describing children as little if they are little. I agree about communities, though. In terms of 'local communities', if - as many politicians do - you label every bit of space of with some people living in it as a community, the word community is completely meaningless. Similarly talking about, for example, 'black community'. People are not automatically a community by virtue of shared skin pigmentation, irrespective of whether they have any shared values or life experiences.

"Little" has become an increasingly 'patronising' word, me thinks. Personally I try to avoid using "little" for that very reason. It's falling into the same category as "nice" for it's ability to easily irritate. I just made that up. When the power of love overcomes the love of power, we'll find peace. - Jimi Hendrix

Part of the word community might be prescriptive rather than descriptive. It's often noted that Jewish people and certain types of Asians, among others, form strong immigrant communities. They often have representatives who appear on the BBC in times of crisis. The chief Rabbi does and so does the Deswbury MP Shahid Malik. However, I've noticed that Black people in Britain have no such representation. And, I noticed once, when a high-profile crime had been committed, and black people were group suspects, there was nobody obvious to turn to to express my frustration at some of the more outrageous suggestions which were being made in news reports. I concluded that if you want to make a community you have to create one and lead one. They don't just appear as if by magic. My webpage is at: http://www.bookscape.co.uk