'crip' is short for the word 'cripple'. The word 'cripple' or its' variants were used throughout Germanic and Nordic languages before there was any specfic transport aid for people with impairments that affected their mobility. 'cripple' with a 'c' is mainly found in Frisian or Old English (Anglo-Saxon). The word comes from the same lingistic family as creep, crop, etc.
It has not been recorded as a negative term before the late 18 century, it was a purely discriptive word, before that time for the situation of poor people with mobility impairments.
The wheelchair was only invented in Europe in the 16th Century.
I find that it is interesting that ALL terms to describe people with impairments and helpful technology are used by people who consider themselves without impairments.
A fairly modern example is the negative use of the metaphor 'Zimmer-frame' in English culture. A note to non-europeans, a zimmer-frame is a walking frame or 'Walker' without wheels.
I hope this adds something to the discussion.
Keith
Keith Armstrong
On Thu, 11 Sep 2003 13:09:55 -0500 , Jesse the K <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>In my circle (people with cognitive/emotional/non-visible
>impairments), "crips" refer particularly to people with physical
>impairments, esp wheelchair users.
>
>Sample use:
>
>ADAPT's 144-mile "Free our People" march on Washington is in full
>swing, but mostly crips show up on the site of the march-in-progress.
>
>See http://gallery.adapt.org/
>
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