Korean Job Discussion Forums

[pangaea]

I think I can safely assume that none of us are in middle school. Just wondering why I sometimes, thankfully not often, see the word "retarded," being used as an insult. Maybe it doesn't bother other people, but I find it an offensive use of that word and derogatory toward people with mental disabilities. Companies that offer services to people with disabilities steer clear of the term "retarded," preferring "people with mental retardation" or another term that focuses on the person, not a label. To me, using the word "retarded" as an insult is on the same intellectual level as attempting to use the word "gay" as an insult. It's asinine and immature. I normally wouldn't think that people over the age of 14 would even to think to use the term, but I have been proven wrong on this site. Just wondering if it bothers anyone else. Rant over.

[DorkothyParker]

In my experience, no one would call anyone with mental differences "retarded." In fact, your example "people with mental retardation" isn't ever used. We have gone over, instead, to phrases like "differently abled" and "mental disability." I think now, as a result, the word "retarded" has graduated into the same realm as the word "dumb." People use this word all the time and fairly never reference the original meaning.

I personally thing the word is fine so long as it is meant in a way similar to the word "dumb." I think it would be hypocritical to find one offensive and not the other.

[conrad2]

This thread is retarded and gay.

[computermichael]

[redaxe]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ_R-G_i4Xk

[pangaea]

Dorkothy Parker wrote:

[Globutron]

Dr Cox from scrubs set up a campaign to get rid of it.

It's fair enough to get rid of it if you're using it on retarded people, but just using it like most people use gay... why not just go and complain about the word shit or *beep*? Why not remove every single derogatory expletive in the English language?

What difference is there, really?

[warren pease]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-otAJrtY-w

All the answers to all the world's questions can be found on youtube.

[tatertot]

[warren pease]

[DorkothyParker]

[warren pease]

[Lastrova]

Back in the day, I imagine, calling a retard retarded was offensive. Nowadays, we can ask what is a retard? It is an offensive term for someone who is retarded. But who now qualifies as retarded when the term no longer clinically fits. Like a pea separated from its pod, it's become a mild term of disparagement--but not nearly as mild as "dumb." The words aren't synonymous. Telling a stranger that they're retarded is a lot more offensive than saying they're dumb. It's also generational. Telling an older man or woman that they're retarded is very offensive. It still has the ring of meaning.

Once during university, when I was driving along back home, this older cat swerves in front of me and cuts me off. I proceeded to pull my car over and cut in front of him. Yes, juvenile, but then I was. At the next lights, he pulls down the window and starts screaming at me. I said, "Are you retarded? Why did you cut in front of me in the first place?" This made the man go lunatic. He said, "You're dead. Next time I see you!" I just smiled and waved to him delicately.

[ED209]

I guess over time and through usage words termed offensive build a distance from their original meaning. South Park took a poke at one such word recently;

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=fag&searchmode=none

I do think there is a difference in how we use these words, are we redefining the word and making a comparison?

"That's gay" - That is not good
"You're a retard" - You are like a person with mental retardation

[McGenghis]

The word HAS changed. That does not mean that weaselly people (and my sincere apologies to these relatives of the mink) will not try to blur the boundaries between retarded as �boorish clod' and �person with mental deficiencies�.

I remember when I was hanging out with my Grandma at a nursing home near her house. We used to visit there frequently to play bingo and make old ladies cry because I looked so much like my father and it was quite terrifying.

One day my dear Gram pointed across the room to a woman who was obviously born with Downs syndrome and whispered to me in conspiratorial tones "She�s retarded!" I remember saying something to the effect that it was unfortunate enough that the poor lady had a mental disability but did you have to mock her too?

Of course she was from the same generation that said "coloured folks" without batting an eye. I cannot help but think that when I am old man I will say things that will make the younger folks cringe, and I will not have meant anything insulting by it.

TL;DR language changes but redresses in vocabulary probably don't solve the problem of some people being jerks.