# Why is "birth defect" an accepted term?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-birth-defect-an-accepted-term/673879>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [November 14, 2013, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-birth-defect-an-accepted-term/673879 "2013-11-14T03:20:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Sam\_I\_Am](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@Sam\_I\_Am](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_I_Am)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2013, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-birth-defect-an-accepted-term/673879/21 "2013-11-15T16:01:00Z")

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I am not bothered by the term “birth defect”, but I could see how it would be problematic to replace it with something like “congenital atypical feature”

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**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2013, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-birth-defect-an-accepted-term/673879/22 "2013-11-15T18:12:48Z")

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> [@Obnoxious\_Hood\_Ornament](#):
>
> Plus, “birth defect” really does roll off the tongue better than, say, “genetic aberration.”
> 
> The hunt for euphemisms in modern society is growing tiresome.

And “euphemism” has been replaced by “political correctness.” :mad:

Never say in three syllables what you can say in seven. “Brevity is the soul of wit.”–Shakespeare. (A really cutting rermark when you consider Shakespeare’s meaning for the word “wit.”)

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**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2013, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-birth-defect-an-accepted-term/673879/23 "2013-11-15T19:13:33Z")

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> [@AuntiePam](#):
>
> I don’t think anyone sees the term “birth defect” and thinks “defective human.”
> 
> Humans have parts. Sometimes one of those parts, at birth, is defective and doesn’t function as it should. Like the pyloric muscle in my kid’s abdomen. The term isn’t offensive; it’s descriptive.

I meant to add this to my earlier posting but I ran out of time.

Apparently the very idea of _description,_ of any kind, is offensive these days. I have a book titled _Very Special People_ which, in an earlier age, might have been titled _Freaks._ I guess these days that would be considered an offensive term; but if you see the title “Very Special People” on a book spine, you have no clue as to the content. Maybe that’s the leftists’ goal: to hide meanings behind unfamiliar words or behind familiar words’ unfamiliar meanings–despite the very purpose of language, which is to communicate ideas directly. I prefer the single word to the circumlocution.

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**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-birth-defect-an-accepted-term/673879/24 "2013-11-16T01:12:24Z")

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It never in a million years occurred to me that “birth defect” could be offensive.

If it ever comes up that my left eye is significantly more near-sighted than my right eye and can’t truly be corrected to 20/20, I’ll just say “birth defect. It’s shaped a little funny.”

Maybe I’ll switch to “my left eye is differently abled due to a congenital atypical feature.” Or maybe “it be wack, yo.” What do you all think?

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**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-birth-defect-an-accepted-term/673879/25 "2013-11-16T01:36:24Z")

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“Birth defect” isn’t used judgmentally or as a criticism. My mom walked with a cane most of my life. She didn’t like “crippled” and preferred “handicapped”. “Degenerative joint disease” just had too many syllables. She was okay with “walks with a cane” too.

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