# If The Word "Moron" Is Still Acceptable Medical Terminology.... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 15, 2011, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-word-moron-is-still-acceptable-medical-terminology/585532 "2011-06-15T05:22:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-word-moron-is-still-acceptable-medical-terminology/585532/1 "2011-06-15T05:22:04Z")
… should we be using it, even to describe ourselves at times? Someone decided “retard” (as a noun, of course) is no longer acceptable, so why not “moron”? I saw a Honda commercial where the word was used to describe one of the actors themselves, which led me to ask this. Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-word-moron-is-still-acceptable-medical-terminology/585532/2 "2011-06-15T07:11:30Z")
There is an ICD-9 code for " Imbecil". ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-word-moron-is-still-acceptable-medical-terminology/585532/3 "2011-06-15T07:24:17Z")
“Moron” is not an accepted medical term anymore, and is so divorced from actual mental disabilities that it’s not offensive. Language changes, and current conventions are that the word “moron” disparages people without disabilities - people who have no medical excuse. It disparages personalities and mentalities, not disabilities. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-word-moron-is-still-acceptable-medical-terminology/585532/4 "2011-06-15T12:21:20Z")
Moron, imbecile & idiot were classifications of mental deficiency–with idiot being the lowest. They are quite obsolete & fair game for insults. That is, you won’t insult anybody but the twit(s) you’re describing. Some of us remember when “retarded” was used by professionals. [No longer.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_retardation#United_States) > [@](#): > > The American Association on Mental Retardation continued to use the term mental retardation until 2006. In June 2006 its members voted to change the name of the organization to the “American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities,” rejecting the options to become the AAID or AADD. Part of the rationale for the double name was that many members worked with people with pervasive developmental disorders, most of whom do not have mental retardation. I still consider it rude to say “retarded.” There are better ways to describe someone with disabilities & the word still has the power to hurt when used to describe the fools who _deserve_ scorn. That is, the ones who really ought to know better. As the language continues to evolve, “retarded” will join moron, imbecile & idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-word-moron-is-still-acceptable-medical-terminology/585532/5 "2011-06-15T13:19:49Z")
There’s nothing wrong with “retarded.” It just means “slowed down.” Replacing the term with something else is just going to make whatever the new term is the word that people use as an insult. ---
**Author:** ![AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-word-moron-is-still-acceptable-medical-terminology/585532/6 "2011-06-17T08:10:30Z")
> [@](#): > > There’s nothing wrong with “retarded.” It just means “slowed down.” Replacing the term with something else is just going to make whatever the new term is the word that people use as an insult. THANK YOU Diogenes. The ONLY reason why the term retarded is offensive is b/c of the shortened form being offensive. I usually use the term MR. Intellectucal disabilty is a little too much of a mouthful, and developmental disablity is a bit too broad. (the term can include autism, learning disabilties etc) ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-word-moron-is-still-acceptable-medical-terminology/585532/7 "2011-06-17T11:17:38Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > There’s nothing wrong with “retarded.” It just means “slowed down.” Replacing the term with something else is just going to make whatever the new term is the word that people use as an insult. Whenever I want to describe something as monumentally stupid, I say that it’s more retarded than an explosion at a fire extinguisher factory.