Never heard it used to describe a disabled person....you think they would realize he is AMERICAN and thus there will be some nuances in how English is spoken in our 2 countries.
Yea like filey golfer said its a cultural thing , because in the U.S. we have 1000 more words that we use that is more degrading, and nasty than spaz.The Brits I guess use this word more commonly , and have adopted it in there vocabulary probably as equivalant to retard. Im sure it didnt come across the U.S. press as deragatory so maybe the BRitish press should shove a scone in it!
The gutter press who published this garbage about Tiger are the same as those who published the distorted report about Paul CAsey hating Americans. They took an article from a proper newspaper and cherry picked some comments and twisted them into a false story.
Never heard it used to describe a disabled person....you think they would realize he is AMERICAN and thus there will be some nuances in how English is spoken in our 2 countries.
Yeah for instance a Fag in the uk is a ciggarette & in the USA its something very odd indeed.
I still remember a story my dad told me years ago about a workmate of his asking an american tourist on an airliner if he could have a fag, (this is well before the no smoking on planes thing) You can imagine the confused & slightly worried reaction of the American tourist.
Never heard it used to describe a disabled person....you think they would realize he is AMERICAN and thus there will be some nuances in how English is spoken in our 2 countries.
I've spoken to people down here in SoCal who know what "spaz" means, and I also saw someone in this thread note that they hadn't heard the phrase used in the "retard" context in years - I'm assuming that was also over here. So, unless by AMERICAN, you simply mean IGNORANT, that's a lame excuse. The word IS known to refer to "spastic" in the US, it's just that the language over here is now such a wash of sloppy slang, people are using words they have no idea the meaning of.
All that the above illustrates is that some people are equally ill-informed as is Tiger. I still think that he meant the comment to be a harmless, off the cuff remark, but he ought to have known better.
I still think that he meant the comment to be a harmless, off the cuff remark, but he ought to have known better.
Th PC brigade over here are a real pain in the **** there are pieces in the papers everyday showing how over the top these people are, it's the same with Health and Safety today there was report of how a couple with three kids weren't allowed in a swimming pool because each child needs supervision the worst of it was the bloke was a swimming instructor
Last edited by leaguegolf : April 12th, 2006 at 12:29 PM.
While I agree that some take it too far, "PC" is a rather ambiguous term that many often use to deflect valid criticism of their language and behavior. Just because we have the right to refer to anyone however we please, doesn't make it right, IMO. To each his own, but I'm going to stick to calling people what they want to be called. Why would anyone do otherwise unless it's your intent to offend ?
To each his own, but I'm going to stick to calling people what they want to be called. Why would anyone do otherwise unless it's your intent to offend ?
Because, as I said, some people have such ridiculous demands in their quest to avoid being offended that it is absurd to try to appease them.
Think of it this way: I avoid getting into fights, but if someone is so determined to get in a fight, I am going to defend myself. By the same token, I am only going to go to certain lengths to not offend. I don't use racial slurs, sexist terms, or the word "retard," but I am not going to start writing "wmyn" or calling short people "vertically challenged," etc.
There are reasonable precautions to take, and there are extremes. I will take the reasonable precautions. The extremists can drive themselves spastic over my words, for all I care.
Edit, two hours later: to fix my Engrish.
Last edited by Chris Stack : April 12th, 2006 at 05:45 PM.
Because, as I said, some people much such ridiculous demands in their quest to avoid being offended that it is absurd to try to appease them.
Think of it this way: I avoid getting into fights, but if someone is so determined to get in a fight, I am going to defend myself. By the same token, I am only going to go to certain lengths to not offend. I don't use racial slurs, sexist terms, or the word "retard," but I am not going to start writing "wmyn" or calling short people "vertically challenged," etc.
There are reasonable precautions to take, and there are extremes. I will take the reasonable precautions. The extremists can drive themselves spastic over my words, for all I care.
LOL at that last sentence! I like your satirical "vertically challenged" phrase --- it sounds very Carlinesque. LOL. Well said, Chris, well said!
but I am not going to start writing "wmyn" or calling short people "vertically challenged," etc.
The next time you're subject to a tirade from one of the terminology Nazis, tell them that you think they're "anally oriented" and see if that appeases them.
To each his own, but I'm going to stick to calling people what they want to be called. Why would anyone do otherwise unless it's your intent to offend ?
I want to be called "Lord and Master of the Known and Unknown Universes and the Holy Arbiter of All That Is in Dispute, He on Whom the Sun Smiles, Whom the Rain Caresses and the Wind Cools, the Prince of Golf and the Bane of All Who Scream 'Get in the Hole.'" Is that OK, wazmankg?
April 11th, 2006, 09:35 PM
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