Talk:Spastic

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[edit] David Farmbrough: Conducting a revert war?

You keep reverting my line with NO reason offered. JohnO

[edit] Spack Attack

Has anyone except the person who posted this come across this in everyday use? It seems to be a piece of local slang to me, and in any event not really appropriate to the Spastic article. Shouldn't there be a separate article on the word spack? DavidFarmbrough 11:44, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

Further to this, I am not sure that the references to spastics having fits or seizures are quite right as (unless a medical expert tells me this is wrong), it is not a feature of cerebral palsy that the person suffers from 'fits'. (I am quite prepared to accept that a spastic may also suffer from epilepsy, but not sure that this fits in with the spastic article). Can an expert enlighten us please? DavidFarmbrough 13:12, 21 November 2005 (UTC)
David, David, David! I'm glad you asked! Check out Cerebral_palsy#Presentation_.28signs_and_symptoms.29. (Why do I have to lead you by the hand like this...?) If you won't follow the link, it says "The classical symptoms are spasticity, paralysis, seizures, unsteady gait, and dysarthria." (Check the history of that page - I didn't write it.) Happy now? --JohnO You found the secret writing! 22:09, 21 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Why you are wrong

One section of this article deals with 'terms of abuse.' Well, spack attack is a term of abuse. It is a common term of abuse. Just because you haven't heard of it doesn't make it untrue, or unworthy of being in this article. So why don't you get out of that ivory tower and do some frigging research. I am the person who put it in. I've lived in six major cities, in three countries, on two continents during my adult life. I've heard this term plenty; it is NOT local slang. But don't take my word for it...

  • For a picture of the term EMBLAZONED on a train carriage, see [1]!
  • For usage of this phrase dating back to January of this year (2005), i.e. before we got into this revert war, see the post in this forum [2]
  • Want to see it in an online dictionary? Try [3]. Here it is claimed to be Australian slang. I've never been to Australia...
  • Want to see it on Wiktionary? [4]
  • Want to see it on a non-English language site? Go here... [5]
  • Too much of a moron to Google it? Just follow this link... [6]

So stop riding me and turn your attention back to something more on your level, like Carry_On_Teacher.

--211.217.148.90 01:59, 9 October 2005 (UTC) JohnO

JohnO,

I checked a s__load of definitions of CP, and the only one I found where seizures were referred to as being a symptom of that condition, and not another condition that sometimes occurs concommitantly with CP is the Wikipedia definition you cited. I'm aware that you didn't write the Wikipedia definition, but last I knew Wikipedia wasn't seen as the final arbiter of what's correct.

Jazzman60

[edit] Spanner as a term of abuse

I think this was derived from the name of the tool, in the same way as "dipstick" is used as a term of abuse, rather than from the word "spacker". Christidy 15:29, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

You know this for sure, or you think it? What good are opinions in an encyclopaedia?--211.218.1.236 04:49, 20 October 2005 (UTC) JohnO

[edit] Suffering

I hope I'm not being too picky -- I'm not aware that people necessarily "suffer" from disabilities. I imagine spasms involve physical pain, so I've left the word "suffer" in some places, but only where it's obvious that it referes to spasms.24.64.223.203 09:50, 26 November 2005 (UTC)

yeah, i think the language is biased as well but i'm hesitant to edit it. also, if i'm not mistaken, isn't spastic diplegia regarded as a variant of CP? if so they shouldn't be listed as two separate things.

[edit] Spazz

Does anyone really know that this derived from a misconception that spasticity is associated with mental retardation? "Spazz" seems to me used more often of people who make erratic decisions or are unstable, which would seem like a reference to the erratic movements of those with cerebral palsy, not to a supposed mental retardation. Ichelhof 10:18, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

yes, though i'm not sure as i live in the US, but i've seen the term used in the UK sense to refer to people with autism, etc.


[edit] spastic...

The article currently reads "A sufferer of spasticity. This usage is generally believed to have been popularized from its use in the name of The Spastics Society" This would appear to be incorrect, because article on the Society gives us "SCOPE was started in 1952 by Ian Dawson-Shepherd, Eric Hodgson, Alex Moira and a social worker, Jean Garwood. In 1952 it was known as the National Spastics Society and in 1963 it merged with the British Council for the Welfare of Spastics to become The Spastics Society. They provided sheltered workshops and day centres for people with Cerebral Palsy (commonly referred to as spastics at the time, despite spasticity being a symptom of only one variant of C.P.)". This states that they were commonly referred to as spastics at the time, and the prior existence of the British Council for the Welfare of Spastics appears to bear this out. Any comments before I change it (and risk a four paragraph backlash!)? DavidFarmbrough 12:23, 27 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] In American slang, the term "spaz" is generally inoffensive

Is it "inoffensive" because of ignorance of its derivation? Denishowe 10:55, 8 February 2007 (UTC) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4902432.stm has some interesting points. Denishowe 12:05, 12 February 2007 (UTC)

Right. And I'll thank you to not use the noun "rubber" in front of the children, too. Or maybe the words legitimately mean different things because Americans and Britons speak different dialects, no? 70.242.127.246 02:17, 31 October 2007 (UTC)
Actually, that source has a British bias. I suspect that the reason has more to do with Linguistic reclamation. Many words that were once offensive (geek, nerd, cowboy, sooner, torie, Christian, Mormon, gay, etc) have had their meanings changed as a result of being embraced by a community. In the US the term once was offensive, but in the 80's had a major transformation. The British section discusses how a similar movement was undertaken in England at the same time, but it didn't take hold in England. Likewise, the US didn't have Blue Peter to make the term highly offensive.Balloonman 02:46, 31 October 2007 (UTC)
NOTE: I did some research into the term as a result of this discussion. And it appears that the two cultures had a drastic change in understanding of the term in the 1980's. In England, it appears to have transformed from a mildly insulting term to become one of the most taboo words to the British Ear. This appears to be largely the result of Peter Blue/Joey. At the same time, in America, it went from a mildly insulting term to something even less insulting. It can still be an insult, but because American Audiences were more familiar with Steve Martin's Chaz the Spaz and Meatballs character Spaz, the word evolved into something completely different.Balloonman 23:58, 4 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] This is a medical term, not just an outdated/offensive name for sufferers of spasticity

I'm not going to edit this article as I know nothing about the the subject and don't have the time or inclination to learn. However, it would be nice if somebody with some medical knowledge were to change this to actually indicate the correct meaning of the word "spastic". A quick google search (http://www.google.com/search?q=define%3ASpastic) should be enough to satisfy anyone that "a name given to someone who suffers from spasticity ... often used as a derogatory term for a sufferer of the disease, especially in the UK." really doesn't cut it. This word has a much more general meaning. From the google link, how does the article in its current form explain the following phrases?

  • spastic paralysis
  • spastic gait
  • spastic bladder
  • spastic colon
  • spastic diplegia
  • spastic closure
  • spastic contracture
  • spastic hemiplegia
  • spastic abasia
Simple, those are complete descriptions of medical conditions. "Spastic" without the "paralysis", "gait", "bladder", etc is not the same as with them.Balloonman (talk) 16:39, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Suffering

I have removed the word sufferers as people with cerebral palsy do not like to be viewed as suffering from their condition. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Robyn189 (talk • contribs) 01:17, 2 March 2007 (UTC).Robyn189 01:19, 2 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Especially Popular in the '80s?

I know that this was a common term when I was in grade school (Seattle, WA) in the late 50's and early 60's. At the time I didn't know that it referred to CP, but the context was such that I now recognize it as meaning the same thing. I don't recall that there was a mental connotation, just descriptive of uncoordinated physical movement, such as someone with CP might display. It was used in a derogatory manner, as kids often do. Bjskelly 17:48, 16 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] ... out

What about the term 'spazzing out' or to 'spaz out' which I take to mean a loss of control. I've heard this in use on both sides of the Atlantic and it might be useful to insert it, I would myself, but I'm not too good with the integration of new material.

[edit] history of the word

Ok, I have no doubt that Spastic is highly offensive in England. I also have little doubt that it was not a polite term Prior to Peter Blue/Joey. But I do have to wonder how offensive it was prior to the 1980's in England? There is no way that it evoked the same outrage that it appears to do today? I mean, if it was that offensive in the 70's then Joey would never have been introduced as a Spastic. If it was that offensive in the 50's, then Scope would never have used it as part of its name. Based upon what little research that I could find on the term, it has only been the past 25 years (since the introduction of Joey) that Spastic has been the taboo word that it has become. I also find it interesting that 25 years ago, while British culture was demonizing the term, the American media was defanging it.Balloonman 19:01, 3 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] SCOPE -> Scope

I can find no evidence on Scope's own website - www.scope.org.uk - that SCOPE is an acronym. On their website it is written as a word with an initial cap. I have therefore changed the references in this article to be consistent with that Njjh201 (talk) 16:05, 28 April 2008 (UTC)