I need a word for these fraternal twins I know who are thalydimide babies-
They don’t have any arms or legs.
they can’t be called amputees, because they were born that way.
What’s a polite way of referring to their condition?
Webster says apodal, having no limbs, feet, or foot-like appendages.
Accented on 1st syllable.
No legs: paraplegic
No arms/legs quadraplegic
Zev Steinhardt
[bad joke]
First base.
[/bad joke]
While I think apodal might be the technically correct term, I would simply say limbless to be sure of being understood.
[nitpickin’ good fun]
I always though the Latin root pod- simply meant foot, hence gastropod (stomach-footed) and cephalopod (head-footed).
[/nits done been picked]
The general term for “Gross hypo- or aplasia of one or more long bones of one or more limbs” is ectromelia. “The concept includes amelia, hemimelia, and phocomelia.” (from the National Library of Medicine)
Note: hypoplasia is “a condition of arrested development in which an organ or part remains below the normal size or in an immature state.” From Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. Aplasia is when an organ or part fails to develop at all.
The form of ectromelia associated with exposure to thalidomide in utero is “phocomelia” which is a particular type of hypolasia in which the limbs are “seal-like,” hence the term phocomelia which means “seal limbs.”
“No legs: paraplegic
No arms/legs quadraplegic”
No cigar.
The “plegic” part of both words denotes paralysis. If a person doesn’t have a limb the limb cannot be considered paralyzed so a person without legs couldn’t be paraplegic and a person without arms/legs couldn’t be quadriplegic.
<another bad joke>
Q: What do you call a man with no arms or legs in a swimming pool?
A: Bob
<hijack>
What do you call a man with no arms or legs?
Matt
Where do you find a dog with no legs?
Right where you left it.
<hijack>
What do you do with a dog that has no legs?
Take him for a drag.
What do you call a cow with no legs?
Ground beef.
Under a car: Jack
In a pothole: Phil
Hanging on a mountain ledge: Cliff
Hanging on a wall: Art
two of em standing by a window?
Curt ‘n’ Rod.
jb
Why did the guy call his dog with no legs “Cigarette”?
Cuz every once in a while he’d take him out for a drag.
jb
As pleased as I am to encounter jokes that are actually older than I am, could we please dispense with the wisecracks and help out the OP, if a scientific term exists besides apodal?
you mean I didn’t make that up?
jb
There was a thread about people without limbs, I think.
I just have to say these two:
What do you call a cow with 2 legs?
Lean beef
What do you call a cow with no legs on the side of a hill?
Lean groud beef
Basket case?
ducks and runs
I just learned the other day where that phrase comes from!
That’s hilarious! (but mean- ahem, yes very mean)
jb,
tee hee
After checking m-w.com, I see that you are right. I stand corrected and thank you Yeah.
Zev Steinhardt
I was watching a show last night about old-style Sideshows, with interviews of people who had been in some. The monkey-faced girl, the alligator boy, the human balloon, the half-girl and the dog-boy (not all were interviewed).
I realise that this definitely doesn’t apply to all people like this, but these freaks were perfectly satisfied referring to themselves as freaks. 'twas really cool, too.