# Put downs with no disability definition **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 16, 2012, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052 "2012-05-16T02:12:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052/1 "2012-05-16T02:12:55Z")
Can you think of any putdown words with no definition related to disability? ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052/2 "2012-05-16T02:15:56Z")
Pfft, that’s lame. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052/3 "2012-05-16T02:37:02Z")
lame=walks with a limp. I suspect there aren’t any. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052/4 "2012-05-16T02:43:21Z")
Thought of 1: bitch. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052/5 "2012-05-16T02:44:59Z")
Cocksucker. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052/6 "2012-05-16T02:46:37Z")
Dickwad ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052/7 "2012-05-16T02:50:34Z")
Fag, fairy, gay. Bastard. Moron, idiot (as opposed to retard, which does have a disability connotation) Jerkface. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052/8 "2012-05-16T02:51:52Z")
Asshole Liberal Communist Snob ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052/9 "2012-05-16T02:51:57Z")
Loser. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052/10 "2012-05-16T02:52:16Z")
I actually can’t think of many insults that ARE based on disabilities, other than “Retarded” or “Lame”. Most insults insinuate something about the insultee’s sexuality, lack thereof, performance in bed, or parentage. EDIT: See above. Bastard is an insult to one’s parentage, as is son of a bitch; bitch, slut, whore, etc. relate to sexuality, as does prude. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052/11 "2012-05-16T02:54:09Z")
Nerd. Geek. Egghead. Motherfucker, and other assorted -fucker cognates. Shithead, and so forth. All the assorted racial, ethnic, and religious slurs, of course. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052/12 "2012-05-16T02:56:44Z")
**kunilou** -Idiot and Moron are based on IQ (similiar to retardation) ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052/13 "2012-05-16T03:01:05Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > **kunilou** -Idiot and Moron are based on IQ (similiar to retardation) But by that logic, “Stupid” is based on a disability too. And so is “Ugly”, or “Dumbass”. Idiot and Moron really just mean “Lacking in intelligent”, which is insulting in its own right. The difference is, “(Mentally, developmentally, emotionally, physically) Retarded” is an actual term for a real disability. When was the last time a doctor or psychologist said, “I’m so sorry, but the test results are in… You’re an idiot.”? ---
**Author:** ![Mikeisskeptical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@Mikeisskeptical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikeisskeptical)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052/14 "2012-05-16T03:08:19Z")
Yeah, there are millions. Too many to list. Are you just talking about swearwords, in which case you have f **ker and it’s derivations, s** tbag, c **t, d** k etc, or is anything negative you can say about a person a put down? What about things like hypocrite or coward? ---
**Author:** ![Mikeisskeptical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@Mikeisskeptical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikeisskeptical)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052/15 "2012-05-16T03:11:52Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > When was the last time a doctor or psychologist said, “I’m so sorry, but the test results are in… You’re an idiot.”? That made me laugh out loud. In fareness though, I’ve never heard a doctor say the patient is a retard or a spacker either. At least not in recent times. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052/16 "2012-05-16T03:15:45Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > But by that logic, “Stupid” is based on a disability too. And so is “Ugly”, or “Dumbass”. Idiot and Moron really just mean “Lacking in intelligent”, which is insulting in its own right. The difference is, “(Mentally, developmentally, emotionally, physically) Retarded” is an actual term for a real disability. When was the last time a doctor or psychologist said, “I’m so sorry, but the test results are in… You’re an idiot.”? The 1970’s. > **[What's the Difference: Idiot vs. Moron](https://www.neatorama.com/2006/12/11/whats-the-difference-idiot-vs-moron/)** > > The Dilemma: You want to assail someone's intelligence, but you don't know quite which word to use, which calls into question your own intellect.People You Can Impress: Well, idiots and morons both, for starters. But also psychologists. And you... > [@](#): > > To classify scores below 70, psychologists invented a nomenclature of retardation. Those with IQs between 51 and 70 were called morons. Morons had adequate learning skills to complete menial tasks and communicate. Imbeciles, with IQs between 26 and 50, never progressed past a mental age of about six. And the lowest of all were the idiots, with IQ between 0 and 25, who were characterized by poor motor skills, extremely limited communication, and little response to stimulus. > > The moron/imbecile/idiot classifications remained popular, amazingly, until the early 1970s, when people started to note that the developmentally disabled have enough difficulties without being saddled with condescending labels. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052/17 "2012-05-16T03:18:34Z")
I think nigger would qualify. If you’re looking for names to call someone that don’t have a disability definition, then that’s the most offensive one I know of. Although if you do call someone that you won’t be mocking the disabled, but you will be joining their ranks pretty quickly, so I wouldn’t recommend it. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052/18 "2012-05-16T03:37:00Z")
> [@Mikeisskeptical](#): > > Yeah, there are millions. Too many to list. Are you just talking about swearwords, in which case you have f **ker and it’s derivations, s** tbag, c **t, d** k etc, or is anything negative you can say about a person a put down? What about things like hypocrite or coward? I’m leaving out profanity and epithets. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052/19 "2012-05-16T03:46:06Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > lame=walks with a limp. I know. Woosh. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052/20 "2012-05-16T03:48:51Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > The 1970’s. > > [What's the Difference: Idiot vs. Moron - Neatorama](http://www.neatorama.com/2006/12/11/whats-the-difference-idiot-vs-moron/) Well, what do you know! “Ma’am, I’m so sorry. But… Your son is an idiot” still seems weird, though. Can I still call people stupid? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/put-downs-with-no-disability-definition/622052.md?page=2)