Comments on: 20 adjectives to replace retarded (because it’s offensive and not that creative anyway)

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 25 May 2011 17:49:41 +0000

The problem with demonizing words rather than teaching compassion is that you end up chasing words without promoting understanding. “Retard” was a PC replacement for words like imbecile, idiot, moron, etc. 5 years from now, kids in elementary school will be calling each other “challenged” and we’re going to have to redefine challenged people as “dunderheaded” or something.

By: Brenda

Brenda — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 06:55:17 +0000

Crackpot, daft, and tomfool are acceptable? Who are you insulting with those comments???

Retarded means:
1. A slowing down or hindering of progress; a delay.
2. Relatively slow in mental or emotional or physical development; “providing a secure and sometimes happy life for the retarded”
3. In music, a slackening of tempo.
4. Used as a disparaging term for a mentally retarded person.
5. A person considered to be foolish or socially inept.
6. To keep delaying; to continue to hinder; to prevent from progress; to render more slow in progress; to impede; to hinder; as, to retard the march of an army; to retard the motion of a ship; — opposed to accelerate.
7. To put off; to postpone; as, to retard the attacks of old age; to retard a rupture between nations.

I say queer all the time. I am not referring to homosexuals. The word means “odd, strange, eccentric” as well as a reference to gays. In fact the word gay also means “happy”. As in the Flintstones, “we’ll have a gay old time”.

If I say “I’m retarded” I am not trying to offend people with disabilities, I am saying I am slow in some way at that moment; ie., I am foolish or socially inept. The point is, INTENT should be the ultimate decider. But if you are important to me and this offends you, I will try to be more careful with your feelings.

By: Brenda

Brenda — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 06:40:56 +0000

“Lame ass”… now you’re insulting person who’s limb has been destroyed through injury of sickness.

By: Brenda

Brenda — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 06:37:36 +0000

Of course, by saying “nut case”, now you are being offensive to people whom are emotionally challenged.

Intent should be the question here. Most people aren’t trying to offend or degrade or emotioanlly destroy the mentally challenged.

By: Maryann

Maryann — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 12:18:25 +0000

This list is not especially helpful. The 22 replacement words ARE offensive; if you want to insult someone, why NOT use the word retarded? They sky’s the limit on insults! I found this page through a google search and was looking for a simple word to replace “retarded” when I mean “developmentally delayed.”

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 07:44:58 +0000

this list is retarded

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 01:55:39 +0000

yeah, I like retarded

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 01:55:08 +0000

how about retarded?

By: bec

bec — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:46:11 +0000

wanker

By: Lisa

Lisa — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:19:35 +0000

muffin head

By: Matt F

Matt F — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 23:42:57 +0000

Fatuous, vacuous & vapid are the only ones on the list with the right combinations of stressed syllables and hard consonants to replace retarded's most vituperative uses. Calling something or someone derisory could just never sting, you know?

By: Luke McKelvy

Luke McKelvy — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 02:21:51 +0000

Lame
Dumb (classic)
Liberal (did I type that?)

Hey, per a previous post, what do you think about “Lame Ass”… or it’s neutered cousin “Lame-A”. I don’t verbalize that one very often, but maybe I should start.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 05:30:01 +0000

I realize on re-reading some of the posts that in my initial response above I was assuming these words being applied to people, and that is not necessarily what is intended. However, I still would limit myself as far as how many times a week I want to be finding it necessary to express how I feel toward “things” (signs, events, situations) as being boorish or vapid!! That begins to feel like simply looking for opportunities to be offended.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 05:25:33 +0000

So…following our general concerns to their distant conclusion…will there remain at that place any legitimate use for the word “retarded”?

I find it uncomfortable to think even the 20 substitutes listed would be casually used.

Do those of you posting find that you or yours do often verbally refer to things that others do in these ways?

I acknowledge that I certainly respond “inside” with reactions…but I usually don’t verbalize it because I recognize the quicksand that I’m putting myself in.

By: ED...

ED... — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:10:19 +0000

@ Myrddin – Glasgow, Scotland.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:21:49 +0000

Hmmm. convicted so early in the morning…. what a way to start my Wednesday. (note to self: must.memorize.Abraham’s.wordlist)

By: Martin

Martin — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:55:42 +0000

This whole idea seems a little pointless.

No matter what word you use, if you say it with nastiness in your heart, then you’ve done someone some wrong.

By: tracy

tracy — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 21:48:38 +0000

I like blockhead personally.
Ashamedly, I’ve used the word retarded (in a humorous way) but I’ve sought to change that. It’s impolite at best and often insensitive. Blockhead reminds me of Charlie Brown so it carries a bit of innocence and playfulness with it.

By: stephanie

stephanie — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:18:04 +0000

I know retarded is offensive to some people, but that’s what makes it useful to say; it expresses your feeling strongly.

By: Myrddin

Myrddin — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:57:41 +0000

Ok … where are you from, Ed, that you know all these words?

By: ED...

ED... — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:10:35 +0000

Bimboish
Bogleheaded
Chumpish
Eejity
Emptyheaded
Execrable
Mung-y
Numptyish
Pumpkinheaded
Soupy
Spannerish
Spung-y
Tattiehowking
Turnipy
Wazzocky

By: Caleb

Caleb — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 04:01:36 +0000

Awesome! haha.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 01:09:53 +0000

Duddy head or silly head are sometimes helpful… but I cheated and used two words. Nut case.

By: Ben

Ben — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:53:51 +0000

I have been convicted about this lately and am making efforts to take this usage out of my language.

“frustrating” is usually fitting

By: Frank Turk

Frank Turk — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:31:17 +0000

“stupid” is a biblical word. (Ps 12:1)

“retarded” is more akin to “backwards in development” or “malformed” than any of the words listed so far, so I’d offer these:

- three-legged
- flunked-out
- half-baked