Anne
My colleague from DANDA sent this below to a forum I belong. I hope it's helps.... See below... Regards Colin R....
I have been trawling through the e-mails on my machine, deleting the old stuff and I came across this from orko / Nestor;
Also I would like to point out that I find the word Handicap offensive as it implies that I am unable to sustain my own existence
due to my terrible condition and that my only hope is to beg - to put my cap in my hand...
Now, this was in connection with his unpleasant experience with the Hidden Handicap list and I want to make it clear that I do not want to revive that thread. I am not defending the Hidden Handicap list nor attacking orko (whom I know and whom I think is a fine fellow and all round good egg).
However, I became curious as the the origin of the word "handicap". The following is taken from The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary.
HANDICAP - First recorded usage 1653 [Apparently from the phrase "hand i' cap" or "hand in the cap". Formerly the name of a sport described under the name Newe Faire in Piers Plowman where it appears that it was a custom to barter articles, and to give "boot" or odds, as settled by an umpire, with the inferior article. All the parties, including the umpire, deposited forfeit-money in a cap. The name refers to the drawing out of full or empty hands to settle whether the match was accepted or not.]
1 - The name of a kind of sport having an element of chance in it, in which one person challenged some article belonging to another, for which he offered something of his own in exchange.
The dictionary gives no definition which specifically covers the concept of a "handicapped person" in the sense of a person with a disability. However, definition 2b is;
b. Handicap race (shortened handicap): a horse race in which an umpire (the handicapper) decrees what weights have to be carried by the various horses entered, according to his judgement of their merits, in order to equalise their chances. 1786
And also;
4 - The extra weight or other conditions imposed in equalising the chances; hence any encumberance or disability that weighs upon effort. 1883
So it is clear that the derivation is not rooted in the concept of begging at all. It's a gambling term. In light of all of that.....I guess I want to ask:
Is the term any less offensive for being rooted in the concept of "encumberance" (being weighted down) rather than "dependancy" (begging to survive)?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anna Charles-Jones" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2004 11:19 AM
Subject: Origins of Handicap
> Dear List,
>
> Wondering if anyone can help, I am involved in staff development around disability issues
> at MMU and part of my presentation discusses medical and social model language. I was
> wondering if anyone on this list can tell me the origins of the word handicap? I have
> heard two theories 1) that it is descended from a swedish word 2) that it's literal
> meaning is 'cap in hand' i.e. beggar and therefore highly offensive.
>
> Any clarification greatfully received.
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Anna
>
> Anna Charles - Jones
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