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[Andir]

Spoiler: Etymology offtopic (click to show/hide)

Oddly, "dumb" can be subject to the same criticism, since it's derived from a word for people who can't speak. Though, it seems like the origin is so far removed from the current use that it probably doesn't carry the same weight of association, and I'm not sure how many native speakers, even, know that. Random language tangent for the day, I suppose.

I'll admit to not looking up "dumb"'s etymology.  Can't speak, or were never trained to?  Cause I can see how "Are you blind/deaf?" could fall in line with "Are you retarded?"  They are involuntary dilemmas faced by some person used in a derogatory way...  Where "dumb" could be self imposed.

[Vector]

Nah, dumb is specifically like "mute."  Silent is the potentially voluntary version; "dumbness" is a disability.

Other curiosity: before it gained its psychological meaning, "idiot" was the word used in Ancient Greece for a layperson, not particularly educated or specialized, who didn't partake in government; later, it came to mean "uneducated or ignorant person," and from there it slowly morphed into the precise psychological term we used to have (for someone with an IQ less than 30), which has now been replaced with the words "profoundly mentally retarded."

I, of course, originally learned the Latin meaning in math class, where the professor told us not to be uneducated idiota because we needed to be good strong mathematicians now.  Weirdo.

[Criptfeind]

You must uphold the honor and traditions of the Mathematicians of the past. Your Ancestors watch your every move and if you fail them they will not hesitate to strike you down.

We factor at dawn

[Mindmaker]

[...]I'm not sure how many native speakers, even, know that.[...]

And now imagine a foreign speaker, who picks up a lot of his english over the internet and english popular culture (meaning music, movies, books etc).
It's overrun with those words, which a number of people find offensive.

[Bauglir]

Yup, that's why I mentioned that bit, I definitely don't hold it against you.

[Willfor]

There are no strong words that are not derogatory in some manner. There is no way to be offensive without being offensive.

[Vector]

Generally one speaks to cruelty and controllable behaviors, rather than the lots in life of other people.

It is possible to be extremely offensive without grabbing a bunch of other people and using something they have absolutely no control over to make a point about the first person.

In other words, insults should target the person you're actually insulting, rather than scooping in swathes of people on the side.

[Heron TSG]

Unless you go the subtle route. Such things as,

"Wow, you did much better than I expected!"

after said person did something poorly, is still offensive without being directly so.

((Please note this is an example, and not a well-thought-out one.))

[kaijyuu]

I don't think it's reasonable to be offended by these words if you know it's not directed at those falling under the original meaning of the word. Tact has practical usage, but I consider it necessary to avoid misunderstanding, not some sort of virtue.

I've already gone over that one in this thread though, so carry on.

[Vector]

For me, I don't eat humans so I don't eat animals, and similarly I don't call people gay, autistic, or womanly to insult them, so I try not to use words like dumb, lame, or crazy.  Basically, it's an application of the same principle.

I'm mostly good on those last ones, but crazy is still hard for me to get away from.

[Rose]

I don't eat meat either, but not for any moral reasons.

On the other hand, not eating humans is also a health thing. cannibalism is rather bad for you.

[kaijyuu]

Only eating brains. Nasty prion diseases from that.

[Bauglir]

You do want it thoroughly cooked, though, it's a prime disease and/or parasite vector. Also, you'll want a social custom where you're not allowed to kill people for lunch.

[Askot Bokbondeler]

what about diner? and more importantly, is long pork kosher?

[TheMasterTurtle]

I eat meat, I love meat. I however, only eat things I kill myself.