The appellative issue continues to fascinate me, not least of all because I'm
still figuring out how to best use people first language in my research and
writing (what terms to choose in such a long and evolving lexicon) and to
balance that use with concision and, well, syntax.
I would use "people with asperger's" because that's the best appellation that
captures the person describing themselves and the 'disability' other people are
assigning to that person. (To deconstruct the latter we are forced to use some
of the pathologizing terms. Unless someone has an alternative.) Now, if we
were talking about Deaf people, for example, then I would use "Deaf," not
"deaf" nor "person with deafness" (or some such). But what about "blindness"?
I'm actually not sure what to use. I can think of some options, all of which
I've noticed, e.g. "partially sighted," "people with partial vision," or
"blind." It occurs to me that I've not encountered "people with blindness" or
"Blind people." This is obviously for a good reason, people who are blind,
with blindness, have their own appellation. What is it? Any thoughts would be
most appreciated.
I hope this isn't overly pedantic. As I say, I find this issue quite
interesting and I want to find the best terms I can.
--
Jason Ellis
Ph.D. candidate,
Department of History, York University, Toronto
[log in to unmask]
Quoting Larry Arnold <[log in to unmask]>:
> Sorry I can't help you there, but your probably instinctive and unaware
> linguistic usage exites my curiosity, whether it is a quirk of the English
> language and syntax or whether something other is signified in it , but why
> might one be "with aspergers" but "are blind"
>
> A little slip but it betrays oh so much in your conceptualisation of
> impairment and difference, and raises the whole spectre of a hierarchy of
> impairments or disabilities.
>
> Who is ever a "are, 'but' with, which comes first, what is seperable,
>
> You have a lot of thinking and remodelling to do yet.
>
> Someone give it me in Spanish or a latin language so I can have a sense of
> proportion.
>
> Larry
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: The Disability-Research Discussion List [mailto:DISABILITY-
> > [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Peter Gregory
> > Sent: 07 July 2009 22:29
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Information related to women who are blind with aspergers
> >
> > Hi everyone..
> >
> >
> >
> > I am interested in tracking down any information about, or stories from,
> > women with aspergers who are blind.
> >
> >
> >
> > Regards..
> >
> >
> >
> > Peter Gregory
> >
> >
> > ________________End of message________________
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