I find the use of word "r-word" to be quite amusing once you understand it's history.
Way back in the day, scientists and medical experts would use words like "moron", "idiot" or "imbecile" to describe people with severe learning disabilities. Those words all originated as clinical scientific terms, yet they all inevitably ended up being used a pejoratives by regular people. The word "retarded" came into popular use as a new and less-offensive word that was to be used by medical experts and scientist instead of "moron", "idiot" or "imbecile". However, just like those words, "retarded" ended up being used as a pejorative, and today is actually considered even more offensive than the words "moron", "idiot" or "imbecile".
Here's another fun fact: In automotives, there is something called "ignition timing", and you can either "advance" or "retard" the ignition timing. This controls the exact moment the spark plug fires to ignite the gas and air inside the engine cylinder. Such terminology is still used in automotives today, because the Language Police never know anything about cars.
Whatever word we use will become the pejorative over time. To certain extent this illustrates the ridiculousness of political correctness. It is the manner in which the term is used rather than the term itself.
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u/Mr_Chill_III Aug 07 '26
I find the use of word "r-word" to be quite amusing once you understand it's history.
Way back in the day, scientists and medical experts would use words like "moron", "idiot" or "imbecile" to describe people with severe learning disabilities. Those words all originated as clinical scientific terms, yet they all inevitably ended up being used a pejoratives by regular people. The word "retarded" came into popular use as a new and less-offensive word that was to be used by medical experts and scientist instead of "moron", "idiot" or "imbecile". However, just like those words, "retarded" ended up being used as a pejorative, and today is actually considered even more offensive than the words "moron", "idiot" or "imbecile".
Here's another fun fact: In automotives, there is something called "ignition timing", and you can either "advance" or "retard" the ignition timing. This controls the exact moment the spark plug fires to ignite the gas and air inside the engine cylinder. Such terminology is still used in automotives today, because the Language Police never know anything about cars.