I'm interested in the etymology, and the detailed reasoning behind the choice of term "autism". Based on what I've read, I consider it to be an imperfect termin

I'm interested in the etymology, and the detailed reasoning behind the choice of term "autism". Based on what I've read, I consider it to be an imperfect terminology, not just because of its inconsistent, broad brush and un-nuanced application, but because its a term borrowed from an earlier use, in which it was coined for an entirely different purpose. Common information (including quotes in this article) mention the Greek roots of the word - "from Greek autos ‘self’ + -ism". One source [0] states : "The term autism (from the Greek autos, meaning “self”) was coined in 1911 by Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler, who used it to describe withdrawal into one’s inner world, a phenomenon he observed in individuals with schizophrenia. The use of the word autism to describe the condition as it is known today originated in 1943, when Austrian-born American psychiatrist Leo Kanner [of the HN article we're currently discussing] distinguished the disorder from schizophrenia." One might infer (correctly or not) that the etymology is principally based around a particular focus upon 'the self'. One short step from 'selfish'. Not the most flattering classification. Not one that I particularly enjoy, personally. An opinion piece [1] alternatively states : "When I looked at the prefix and suffix of the word combined, I found that the word “autism,” in its purest form, means “a state of being oneself.” And indeed, to interpret the term in that latter manner is reasonable, hopeful, and not inaccurate, but it isn't a targeted first-principles classification as such. All of which underlies the fact that, despite being classified as somewhere on the autism spectrum - and fully agreeing that, yes, I have some degree of minority condition or traits - if I'm ever asked outright "so, what is it, then?", I still have no concise answer. The term itself certainly holds little useful information, either for me, or the majority of people I have to interact with. We need better and more nuanced classifications to become common parlance. Preferably (in reference to Asperger) not naming them after founding physicians, then later deciding that negative cultural associations veto the terminology. And while I'm here shouting at clouds, I wouldn't mind if web browsers didn't consider "neurodiverse" to be a spelling error, in 2023. /annoying rant [0] https://www.britannica.com/science/autism https://www.britannica.com/science/autism [1] https://www.jewishboston.com/read/etymology-of-the-word-autism/ https://www.jewishboston.com/read/etymology-of-the-word-auti...