Use of language

rally200

Is it just me, or do other people find the use of the word "spastic" (or other juvenille derivatives) as a perjorative term offensive.

just saw this in the Pezcycling news attached to a thread on the Forum

"Walking around in cleats is a bad thing. Aside from the spastic, tap dancer impersonation.." - I'm not blaming the poster for this of course (its buried pretty deep in the article)

it also turns up written in peoples postings and even peoples sigs.

I thougth this went out with flared trousers, and the 3 day week

finchy

The word spastic, to describe people with certain disabilities, went out of fashion a couple of decades ago, and has since then just been used as an insult. I would never even think of calling somebody a spastic to describe a handicap.

It's a bit like the word "idiot", which, in the original (now obsolete) form, meant somebody with very low intelligence - probably the people who would later be described as spastics, the senile or people with learning difficulties.

It's just the way that languages change - if I had a relative with that particular condition, Im sure I'd find it offensive, but in 30 years time nobody will bat an eyelid.

LazyBoycp

I think perhaps the use in that Pezcycling article you mention was not as a pejorative term. Personally I would have interpreted it as an adjective meaning 'of, relating to, or characterized by spasm' (Merriam-Webster) given the strange movements that can occur while walking around in cleats, not as a noun.

Also, it seems to be more acceptable in the US (I'm assuming Pezcycling is an American site?) - a while back Tiger Woods said in an interview following a round of golf that he had 'played like a retard' and nobody there seemed too bothered by it.

But yes, as a pejorative term I would find it offensive.

rally200

I suppose it could be that some younger people saying spastic, spas, etc have no idea as to the words meaning, and past mis-use. Like Johnfinch says "idiot" was once used as a quasi-medical definition of mental disability. I'm obviously getting old

Still, I think people saying it are nincompoops (verily)

Frank the tank

My son is "Aspergers" and was described as special needs at school. He had a statement of special educational needs which helped his development as an individual no end. He now holds down a full time professional job.

He's never had special needs, just different one.

finchy

Frank the tank wrote:

My son is "Aspergers" and was described as special needs at school. He had a statement of special educational needs which helped his development as an individual no end. He now holds down a full time professional job.

He's never had special needs, just different one.

Did you see a programme, I think last year, in which some of Britain's brightest youngsters went to an international maths competition? There were a fair few Aspergers and autistic children in there, and according to the narration these can actually help.

Anonymous

I have 2 boys with Aspergers and when people use those terms like "retard" etc in conversation I shame them every time, its a steep learning curve for them and I dont care if I make them feel awkward. I think when people dont mean to be offensive but use that sort of language hopefully it is just ignorance not maliciousness.

Also sometimes it can be quite nice being a social hand grenade.