Russell as you know I prefer after the style of George Fox and William Penn to doff my cap to none least of all thee.
Problem is the word handicap makes me squirm, I think it is one that is beyond redemption. You might well argue in service of etymological accuracy that aggravation has nothing to do with bovver boots, but you'll get a lot of aggro if you do.
Larry
> -----Original Message-----
> From: The Disability-Research Discussion List [mailto:DISABILITY-
> [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Russell
> Sent: 06 April 2012 18:22
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: The word 'handicap'.
>
> Hi Keith.
> It's great that someone is saying this in public (other than myself).
> However, you are only halfway there!
> The primary mistake is (as you point out) the confusion between the terms "handicap"
> (i.e. "hand i' cap" or "hand in cap") and "cap in hand".
> "Handicapping" refers to attempting to equalise the chances in horseracing; the horse
> deemed superior carries the greatest handicap, i.e. carries the most weight.
>
> However, the secondary mistake is that the term "cap in hand" has nothing whatever to
> do with begging either.
> To go to someone "cap in hand" is to show deference, to acknowledge one's social
> inferiority to the other person with no implication of asking for money or anything else.
> The commoner doffs his cap to the noble. The noble doffs his cap to the monarch.
>
> I think there is confusion with the term "passing the hat" although strictly speaking this
> refers not to straightforward begging but to soliciting payment for an impromptu
> performance (originally collecting money for charitable purposes, similar to passing the
> collection plate in church or having a "whip-round" in the office).
>
> As an autistic person I find nothing offensive in the term "handicapped". I have
> deliberately used the word on occasion just to annoy the politically correct. I feel
> perfectly justified in saying something like "I feel handicapped by my social
> ineptness". This is accurate. I feel that I struggle (as an animal burdened by weights will
> struggle) when others experience no such struggle.
> "Disabled", on the other hand, does not connote struggle, quite the opposite.
> If one disables a machine (most commonly one "disables an alarm system") then the
> machine is entirely inoperative, kaput. It has ceased to struggle.
> I'm not too thrilled with the term "impairment" either.
>
> On a related theme;
> We are prohibited by political correctness from using the word "cripple" as a noun but
> we continue to use it as a verb or adjectivally (most commonly in "crippling pain").
> Some disabled people are attempting to reclaim the word in the way that American
> Negros have reclaimed the word "nigger" and homosexuals have reclaimed the word
> "queer".
> Misguided - not all disabled people are "cripples".
> If I'm referred to me as a "crip" then I might be moved to put a spoke in someone's
> wheel.
>
> I couldn't give a flying one for political correctness.
> Accuracy is all.
> Imprecise language leads to lack of clarity of thought.
>
> Russell.
>
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