9 ms·

Since you asked, Words are powerful and stir up emotions. In this context, someone stigmatized as "slow" or "dumb" by society, reading a sentence with the wor

Since you asked, Words are powerful and stir up emotions. In this context, someone stigmatized as "slow" or "dumb" by society, reading a sentence with the word "retard" in it has to deal with bad memories from the past rather than understanding the concepts in this sentence. Clearly, an alternative word choice exists. That's one reason why it's offensive.

zeveb 10y ago
> Words are powerful and stir up emotions. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Yes, words do stir up emotions, but well-adjusted adults learn as children to control and channel their emotions in healthy, constructive ways, rather than permitting themselves to be debilitated by seeing a perfectly correct word used perfectly correctly — and inoffensively. > In this context, someone stigmatized as "slow" or "dumb" by society, reading a sentence with the word "retard" in it has to deal with bad memories from the past rather than understanding the concepts in this sentence. Someone so emotionally fragile would be offended even by reading your sentence about the original sentence!
- senthil_rajasek 10y ago
  Yes, society can also help by being kind to one another.
gknoy 10y ago
It's a completely different word, though. "retard" (pronounced "RE-tard") is the derogatory term, but the context used in this sentence (to slow something down) is pronounced "re-TARD". The only people who would be offended by that are those who have never been introduced to the other word with the same spelling (but different sound). Indeed, the _primary_ listed meaning for this word [0] is the verb form, not the derogatory meaning. [ri-tahrd, for 1–3, 5; ree-tahrd for 4] 0: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/retard http://www.dictionary.com/browse/retard
- senthil_rajasek 10y ago
  recede is less ambiguous.
  - iamdave 10y ago
    That's offensive to people with receding hairlines. Turnabout's a bitch, ain't it?
    - senthil_rajasek 10y ago
      In popular American usage recede is not associated with hairline. People with receding hairline are not marginalized by society. Now "bitch" that's offensive. Edit: spell correct.
      - iamdave 10y ago
        Words have meaning. Words have power. This much is not in debate, as far as I'm concerned (so far). Where I have to take pause is taking one usage (however derogatory) of a word and applying to every meaning and usage regardless of what the context actually is as some manifestation of virtue signalling. At this point we may as well throw out language, diction and rhetoric entirely as any word and phrase can be twisted to be offensive even when a word is used entirely and wholly in accurate and proper context. People with receding hairline are not marginalized by society You're obviously not aware with how common male baldness jokes are in sitcoms and entertainment, are you? I encourage you watch a few episodes of Seinfeld to see how much influence hair and baldness has on men and their self esteem in the dating world. They might not be marginalized, but then again I guess it depends on how one is using the word 'marginalized' to begin with, which brings us back to square one: turnabout is a bitch.
        senthil_rajasek 10y ago
        By quoting Seinfeld you are showing that you are living in the past. You are also trivialising the real suffering and daily struggles of mentally handicapped people by comparing it to the "struggle" of bald people. Once again "bitch" is an offensive word.
alexbanks 10y ago
But do you not understand that while writing a sentence, it is not the job of the writer to tip toe around the reader's possible negative life experience? It would be near impossible to write about anything if that were the case. Example: In your post you used the phrase "bad memories." I have bad memories of something that happened a week ago. Thus, your post is offensive (by your reasoning). Ultimately if you're speaking appropriately (as in, not using slang), it is the job of the reader to perceive context correctly.
- senthil_rajasek 10y ago
  A good writer has the responsibility of choosing the correct word. That's what makes them good. I apologize if my use of some words offended you. My reasoning is that words that trigger specific memories and experiences in a person are more hurtful. The world is not a perfect place but it is constantly changing and evolving. I keep working hard to use words that are not hurtful.
  - mildbow 10y ago
    Sure. But a good writer does not mean an inoffensive one. If pressed, I would even argue that the opposite is that case. You are so off the mark that you must be trolling or "receded".
    - senthil_rajasek 10y ago
      Being offensive is certainly a choice but not on this forum if I remember the rules correctly. I am not trolling, I am merely saying that a good writer should take responsibility for his choice of words.
      - alexbanks 10y ago
        They did, by keeping the word and bailing on the host.
  - DanBC 10y ago
irrational 10y ago
Not being offended is not a right.

zeveb 10y ago

> Words are powerful and stir up emotions. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Yes, words do stir up emotions, but well-adjusted adults learn as children to control and channel their emotions in healthy, constructive ways, rather than permitting themselves to be debilitated by seeing a perfectly correct word used perfectly correctly — and inoffensively. > In this context, someone stigmatized as "slow" or "dumb" by society, reading a sentence with the word "retard" in it has to deal with bad memories from the past rather than understanding the concepts in this sentence. Someone so emotionally fragile would be offended even by reading your sentence about the original sentence!

senthil_rajasek 10y ago
Yes, society can also help by being kind to one another.

gknoy 10y ago

It's a completely different word, though. "retard" (pronounced "RE-tard") is the derogatory term, but the context used in this sentence (to slow something down) is pronounced "re-TARD". The only people who would be offended by that are those who have never been introduced to the other word with the same spelling (but different sound). Indeed, the _primary_ listed meaning for this word [0] is the verb form, not the derogatory meaning. [ri-tahrd, for 1–3, 5; ree-tahrd for 4] 0: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/retard http://www.dictionary.com/browse/retard

senthil_rajasek 10y ago
recede is less ambiguous.
- iamdave 10y ago
  That's offensive to people with receding hairlines. Turnabout's a bitch, ain't it?
  - senthil_rajasek 10y ago
    In popular American usage recede is not associated with hairline. People with receding hairline are not marginalized by society. Now "bitch" that's offensive. Edit: spell correct.
    - iamdave 10y ago
      Words have meaning. Words have power. This much is not in debate, as far as I'm concerned (so far). Where I have to take pause is taking one usage (however derogatory) of a word and applying to every meaning and usage regardless of what the context actually is as some manifestation of virtue signalling. At this point we may as well throw out language, diction and rhetoric entirely as any word and phrase can be twisted to be offensive even when a word is used entirely and wholly in accurate and proper context. People with receding hairline are not marginalized by society You're obviously not aware with how common male baldness jokes are in sitcoms and entertainment, are you? I encourage you watch a few episodes of Seinfeld to see how much influence hair and baldness has on men and their self esteem in the dating world. They might not be marginalized, but then again I guess it depends on how one is using the word 'marginalized' to begin with, which brings us back to square one: turnabout is a bitch.
      - senthil_rajasek 10y ago
        By quoting Seinfeld you are showing that you are living in the past. You are also trivialising the real suffering and daily struggles of mentally handicapped people by comparing it to the "struggle" of bald people. Once again "bitch" is an offensive word.

alexbanks 10y ago

But do you not understand that while writing a sentence, it is not the job of the writer to tip toe around the reader's possible negative life experience? It would be near impossible to write about anything if that were the case. Example: In your post you used the phrase "bad memories." I have bad memories of something that happened a week ago. Thus, your post is offensive (by your reasoning). Ultimately if you're speaking appropriately (as in, not using slang), it is the job of the reader to perceive context correctly.

senthil_rajasek 10y ago
A good writer has the responsibility of choosing the correct word. That's what makes them good. I apologize if my use of some words offended you. My reasoning is that words that trigger specific memories and experiences in a person are more hurtful. The world is not a perfect place but it is constantly changing and evolving. I keep working hard to use words that are not hurtful.
- mildbow 10y ago
  Sure. But a good writer does not mean an inoffensive one. If pressed, I would even argue that the opposite is that case. You are so off the mark that you must be trolling or "receded".
  - senthil_rajasek 10y ago
    Being offensive is certainly a choice but not on this forum if I remember the rules correctly. I am not trolling, I am merely saying that a good writer should take responsibility for his choice of words.
    - alexbanks 10y ago
      They did, by keeping the word and bailing on the host.
- DanBC 10y ago

irrational 10y ago

Not being offended is not a right.