The word "spastic"

I hope anyone reading this really considers how words can hurt people. If you think something may be offensive, why say it?

Well said.

. On the other hand, when used casually in everyday conversation, as an insult or term of abuse used to imply stupidity or physical ineptness, it is capable of arousing deep shock and offence, as is the word "n****r", especially in the US, where even the use of words that sound like it such as "niggardly" can be ill-advised.

I don't want to put words in Chary's mouth, but it can't be compared to the n word, or the k word, for that mater, because being treated as stupid or physically inept does not compare with centuries of slavery or genocide.

Yes, spastic is an offensive term. (I had a friend with CP when I was growing up). But if you think it is even remotely close to n*gger in offensiveness you mut have been sleeping through your history classes.

...while the n-word does not have any usage-appropriate connotations.

Surely it does. The word is not merely ritually taboo, it is avoided for another reason, namely the offence it can give, and the desire of many people not to appear racist. However, if I was writing a paper about racist language in 20th century literature I might very well spell the word in full without any asterisks or dashes. I might for example quote from Hemingway, Mazo de la Roche, etc.

But if you think it is even remotely close to n*gger in offensiveness you mut have been sleeping through your history classes.

I am (and was) talking about how offensive the word "spastic" can be here in the UK, and I said, to make an understandable comparison, how it is as severely offensive to many British people as the word "n----r" can be to Americans. So whatever American people may think about the relative offensiveness of these words "back home" or what they learned in "history classes", this is completely irrelevant to the point at issue. Why is this so hard to grasp?

Why is this so hard to grasp?

It's very easy to grasp and, contrary to what you might think, we're not stupid. We all understand exactly what you're saying, but some of us disagree with you.

I think the point of this thread was well-intended but just like pretty much every single thread on this entire forum, it somehow turns into a huge argument over something completely trivial (like what type of offensive word is more offensive than the other...who really cares?!?!) and people taking things personally that were not intended (or perhaps unrightly were) to be attacks.  

The difference between the term 'spastic' and the 'n word' is that people may use the term 'spastic' to describe a person...using it in a harmless manner (in their minds)...not knowing that it can be insulting.  Call it ignorance, childishness or whatever...but it can and does happen in certain places.  No one is going to call a black person the n word and think that it's harmless...nowhere...ever.  It's not the actual word but the context of the word.  Yes, it's wrong to use the word 'spastic' but some people don't realize that...that's apparent when you realize that toy makers named a child's toy after the word...so obviously there are a huge majority of people who don't know the origin of the word and that it can be insulting.  Thus the need for this thread to raise awareness.  That is a non-issue with the n word as pretty much every person in the world is aware of the term and there is no question at all whatsoever that it is used negatively.

I don't know anyone here personally but I'd find it fairly hard to believe that anyone here would see someone with a physical disability and sling the term 'spastic' at them in a purposely hurtful or insultive manner.  

Okay here I am with my mod hat on now......

I was worried this thread would get out of hand, and was trying to keep an eye on it-- I was out today and have come back to see it has become heated.

Can I remind everyone that we are all entitled to our opinions-- when someone disagrees it doesn't mean they are stupid (unless they disagree with me of course  )

From what I can see in the thread there is noone disagreeing that the word spastic is an offensive word in the UK which is the original point of the thread. Many agree it is also offensive in the US.

The argument is over a comparision to another word. I am going to ask that we all realise that individuals will have different views on this. I think it is time to just let it go.

There has been a suggestion to move this to pettifog. I personally think it is an appropriate expat life topic and will leave it here for now. If people want to continue the 'debate' I would ask you to open a new thread in pettifog.

Personally, I think the thread is about finished- so am considering locking it, but will leave it open for now.

FWIW, in case my previous post sounded a bit too pro-'spastic', I'd like to add that it isn't a word I use anymore.  I probably haven't used it since I was 8 or 9.  I think I just grew out of it.  When I think of it now, it still has that sort of playground-insult feel to it.  However, I can see now that it's very insulting, so I'd just like to clarify that I'm not trying to defend its use.  I was just trying to say what it inferred to me at that time.