Thanks Brian

[Thurston Fluff]

This is in reference to this post

 

Quote:

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It's not a swear, but if you used that word in real life around someone who had a mentally challenged child referring to someone who wasn't mentally challenged, you would be picking your teeth up off the ground.

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My parents adopted 5 special needs kids and I tend to view the "r" word like african americans view the "n" word. My brothers and sisters all have a hard enough time in life without their condition being degraded any further by institutionalizing the word in a negative sense. Your sensativity on this board is what makes this a special place. And, yes, if someone used that word around me they would get an earful if not more.

[1992casey]

That word's been on the banned list for about a year. I wasn't moderating at the time it was added. But I'd guess that the reasoning was that too large a segment of this forum was very 'casual' about its use and that dropping a nuclear bomb on the word was a better option than trying to retrain those using it.

 

Unfortunately, Brian doesn't have the same level of control over language in the chat room. We're stuck with 'ordering' people to be nice. I believe Yuku allows board administrators to use the same cuss list on both the forums and in chat.

[dadofandrew]

Why would anyone use a word that's offensive to many? That alone means it should be banned.

[jason21nl]

i wouldn't say that word is offensive to many...but I can see how it could be offensive

[BrewCrewForever]

My cousin recently had a baby with special needs and I have some friends who have siblings as well. So I totally agree that it is offensive. Many people often throw the word around as if it is not.

[mothershipconnection]

i wouldn't say that word is offensive to many...but I can see how it could be offensive

 

Well, the odds of having a child with Autism are about 1 in 166, Down Syndrome is 1 in a couple hundred, and about 2 in 100 people have mental retardation. It's pretty safe to say that a lot of people have someone with a mental handicap in their family, work with them, or have family friends with handicaps in the family.

[Katuluu]

Why would anyone use a word that's offensive to many? That alone means it should be banned.

 

You mean like how Brit's call a cigarette a fag? Ignorance doesn't solely fall on those who are deemed offensive.

 

 

"It was while giving a speech in Washington, to a very international audience, about the British theft of the Elgin marbles from the Parthenon. I described the attitude of the current British authorities as 'niggardly.' Nobody said anything, but I privately resolved?having felt the word hanging in the air a bit?to say 'parsimonious' from then on."

-Christopher Hitchens

[dadofandrew]

I can't believe that word is still used in England either.

[mothershipconnection]

You mean like how Brit's call a cigarette a fag? Ignorance doesn't solely fall on those who are deemed offensive.

 

But in that case, it's kinda grandfathered in since the AFAIK term was used long before it became a slur, and isn't directly related to the slur. The word in question, however, is used to imply mentally challenged, and not the other definition. Nobody is saying "The maturation process of Ned's decision to pull Sheets for Dessens has has been stunted." Nor do they say "Dude you're such a transitive verb meaning to slow down".

 

"Re----ed Definition:

 

1. underdeveloped: not fully developed

the @#%$ growth of the plant

 

2. mentally challenged: an offensive term meaning intellectually or emotionally challenged

[Katuluu]

I can't believe that word is still used in England either.

 

To be fair Al, it's completely different word, with a different meaning, and a different genealogy. It's no more a curse or vulgarity to them then the use of the word pigskin would be to us, inspite of that word's potential offense to Jews and Muslims.

 

 

The word in question, however, is used to imply mentally challenged, and not the other definition.

 

Without a doubt I was being difficult, but a vague statement was used so I felt it was apt to retort with a few equally ambiguous examples of how context, upbringing, and culture can lead to vastly different meanings for all sorts of words in spoken/written language.

 

 

"Dude you're such a transitive verb meaning to slow down".

Your euphemism is weak. Long live dysphemisms!

[iluvlamp]

You know, I wrote a paper in college in which I used the word "@#%$" as in "retarding growth." The subject was special needs children and I was FORCED to replace that word. That's a mainstream prof I tells ya. Look up what the definition is, and I wasn't wrong for using that word in the context of language acquisition. To use words in a mean way is different than using it correctly. Too bad, that in this society, so many words are being omitted. Duck tape is only around the corner if you ask me. I guess it's all semantics nowadays.

[BillScottCanRake]

Duck tape is only around the corner if you ask me. I guess it's all semantics nowadays.

 

I don't want to steer this too far off topic, but isn't it duct tape? The only reason I even bring it up is I just saw Mike Rowe surprised to see it was actually used on duct in one of his shows.

[Fatter than Joey]

but isn't it duct tape?

 

Yeah -- Don't get me started on tapes and their misuse. My wife tends to think masking tape = packing tape = electrical tape.

 

Many times during a year I will see my wife using my electrical tape to send a package to her brother. Angers me to no end.

 

The tape industry has done a great job putting descriptive adjectives before their tape to let consumers know how the tape is intended to be used.

 

Back in the day a lot of your ducting would be plastic and the such -- so you would use the tape to repair/patch ducting behind your dryer e.g.

 

Here's the problem though -- these people came along.

 

http://www.ageslibrary.com/temp/ducktape.JPG

 

and now we have "Duck Tape". Gah!

 

BTW -- The most common and early references to the word fag-got comes from when they burned people at the stake, the fag-got would be a bundle of sticks (we would call kindling) they would use to ignite the fire. I think the term was used in Old English a slur against old women as well, much like we use word "hag"

[BrewCrewForever]

I will see my wife using my electrical tape to send a package to her brother.

 

That is crazy. I could see how one would get angerd with that.

[statman0007]

I too would like to thank you Brian for the way you run this site. I have a sister with Down Syndrome, and I often cringe at the way that word is thrown around. I hate how mainstream the word has become, and I definitely appreciate it not being used on this site.