Can't Change the Condition So Change the Name

Living languages are a dynamic thing. How words were used decades ago is very different to how they are used now and that changes the meaning of the term, sometimes to the extent that the current understanding no longer represents the original one.

This happens quite often in the medical world, but especially with long-term disability where labels can easily become derogatory. The term retardation suggests a delay in something and in the context of mental retardation is medically understood as delayed mental development.

Obviously, the term has undergone a change in meaning from a non-clinical perspective over the decades and now triggers off different, much more derogatory images and therefore may be inappropriate for medical and legal use. Current terminology will likely need revision again decades down the road as societal use of the terms changes over time.

 

Yes. But the meaning of words do change.

This repetition of my previous statement is because you appear to have a retarded (delayed) comprehension of my post.

If you were offended by my use of the word retarded, you might now understand why it is no longer acceptable to use it to describe a very specific medical condition and legal status.

 

""The person is disabled" will be found to be non-PC."

I'd guess sooner than you suggest since I see special Olympic folks saying that now they are just like everyone else, so the goal might well be to have no name for their condition cuz they are just like us.

 

For these terms, the more they enter common vernacular, the more chance they develop unintended meaning that may be inaccurate or even derogatory. The term "handicap" is developing some meanings that are making it less desirable for certain medical applications. Disability may soon head down that road as well.

As someone in the medical profession whose job requires that I not unnecessarily offend my patients, it is difficult to keep up with the latest trends. This includes disability, racial and ethnic terminology, gender and sexual orientation and substance use among other things.

Language is a dynamic thing even though we would rather it stay static during our lifetime to avoid confusion and make life easier for ourselves. But by not keeping up with trends, we may in fact be making life harder for ourselves unnecessarily. At least in my case this is true.

 

Wouldn't it be easier to just call them Democrats?

On a more serious note...

it's not just "dynamic language." THese folks make it impossible to speak English.

Example of their silliness (from the article):

So, pretty soon, we're going to legislate word order?

Forgive my non-PC: These idiots are retarded.

There. I used two naughty words.

 

Yes we are very sensitive in NJ. Christies next foray is introducing legislation to change hurtful words like "Fatso, Porker, and Lard Butt"

 

Fat chance on that legislation passing...

 

Don't these true retards have better things to do than wasting tax payer money legislating political correctness? And we wonder why this country is going down the drain.

 

The true stupidity of it is they are making a law to control the words that they use in the laws that they write!!

If they don't like particular words all they have to do is stop using them.

 

Good one rbell:thumbs:

 

What causes some conservatives here to be deliberately offensive?

 

It's our spiritual gift?

Or maybe it's our way of "giving back." There are lots of people in the world who aren't happy unless they're offended...we're just trying to oblige them...therefore, we're leaving this world in better shape than we found it.

Oops, forgot about global warming. Never mind.

The easiest answer is that "we're idiots," but that's offensive, so only we can use that term... :smilewinkgrin:


My best guess...I'm deliberately offensive because years ago, I used to be accidentally offensive. However, after years of practice, I've progressed.

:saint::tongue3:

 

Here is a good post based on the English Oxford Dictionary to show how the word retard has evolved over the past century to mean something very different from its formal usage and the influence of its use as slang over that period of time.

Alicia's English 102 Blog: The Transformation of the Word "Retard"

 

Used cars -> pre-owned cars -> pre-registered cars -> "almost" new cars -> cars with experience -> ????????? :BangHead:

 

From what I understand AARP is proposing legislation that will make the term senior citizen illegal in government correspondence. "Too many people when they hear the descriptive, "Senior Citizen" see a person who is no longer useful to society." They want us to now use the term, "Chronologically Gifted."