I would guess that language is probably culturally geographically and
politically based. i.e. In Montreal in French people use"personne ayante
des incapacité" (impaired ) with no problem, even the most progressive
activist use it.
In English we use "people with disabilities" (even the less progressive
non political among us). Its often quite a job to translate from one
language to the other. Recently someone came up with "vivre en situation
d'handicap". I like its implication in French but in English it make little
sense the best we can come up with is: living in handicapping situation.
I guess, any bilingual city could be an interesting place to study the
construction of language of disability especially when you add ASL and the
LSQ to it.
Maria
----- Original Message -----
From: <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, February 07, 2000 5:36 AM
Subject: Global construction of disability
> Quick question,
> Is disability constructed according to National
> identity or is there a global construction of disability, shared by
> many?
>
> I recently reviewed a paper for an academic journal that had emerged
> from Taiwan. It was certainly using language that would not be the
> norm for US UK thinkers / writers/ activists.
>
> I also recall meeting a lecturer in social work in Finland, who
> referred to himself as "A CP", meaning a man with Cerebral Palsy,
> quite a shock to me but English as a second language May account
> for this.
>
> My impression is that
> civil rights, in relation to disabled people, have progressed further
> in USA than in the UK. Also that Scandinavian movements have been
> influential in taking disability out of the medical domain
>
> To what extent can we assume any global construction I do not know.
>
> Any comments or suggested reading most welcome
>
> Philip
>
> Philip Scullion
> Senior Lecturer
> Nursing and Midwifery
> School of Health and Social Sciences
> Coventry University
> Priory Street
> Coventry, CV1 5FB
> Tel 024 76887969 Direct
> or 024 76887928 Reception
> FAX 024 76887910
> email: [log in to unmask]
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