I think the PC term these days is developmentally delayed. Or cognitively disabled (depending on actual diagnosis). I've also heard cognitively/developmentally challenged. We usually just refer to our son as "delayed" at this point, since there's still no definitive determination as to whether or not he'll "catch up."
I think retarded is probably one of the least descriptive (and least accurate) words that can be used, regardless of connotation. To retard something means to slow it down. The implication there is that something is still happening (you retard yeast rising by putting it in the fridge, but the yeast is still active, just slower, and the reaction you're going for is still developing). While it might be an accurate description of someone that is still young and is still developmentally delayed, when you're talking about full grown adults, we're not probably talking about a process that has just "slowed down" - instead we're talking about a person with a diagnosable difference or disability. (Difference here being a technical term meaning that this persons abilities are quantifiably different than the average person.) And that difference or disability might have nothing to do with speed of thought. Many people with Aspbergers, for instance, are extremely intelligent, but lack social processing skills - they can't read how someone is reacting to them, so will often respond inappropriately. Retarded is not at all accurate for that class of disability. Make sense? -Deanna On Dec 20, 2007 2:38 PM, Jerry Johnson wrote: > Designed to dehumanize? Really? It seems fairly benign and descriptive > to me. Retarded. Meaning slow. Usually short for mentally retarded. I > thought it was actually the correct diagnostic general term. Is that > not right? > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Adobe® ColdFusion® 8 software 8 is the most important and dramatic release to date Get the Free Trial http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;160198600;22374440;w Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/message.cfm/messageid:248835 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
