# Why do mentally retarded people LOOK retarded?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mentally-retarded-people-look-retarded/344908>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 17, 2006, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mentally-retarded-people-look-retarded/344908 "2006-02-17T03:28:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [August 1, 2019, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mentally-retarded-people-look-retarded/344908/61 "2019-08-01T11:34:11Z")

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> [@Rayks\_Marcial](#):
>
> Well, during the golden age of cinema female movie stars liked to look and talk retarded.

Care to elaborate?

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**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\
**Post date:** [August 1, 2019, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mentally-retarded-people-look-retarded/344908/62 "2019-08-01T12:03:21Z")

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> [@Ulfreida](#):
>
> I have often reflected, not exactly on the OP, but on the opposite – how do I know someone is unusually intelligent, or unusually interesting, without them opening their mouth. …

Basic physics. Light travels faster than sound. Hence, many people appear intelligent until they open their mouths!

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