Lecture #3 Language

Question 1

Why does Language matter?

Answer 1

• Communicates attitudes and beliefs
• Can communicate respect or the opposite
• Can enhance or reduce differences

Question 2

What does “quibbling over ‘disabled people’ versus ‘people with disabilities’ is a diversion from making common cause to promote the inclusion and rights of disabled people” mean?

Answer 2

It means that the change of words does not interpret to the change of attitudes or actions of people.

Question 3

What does “Some stories enhance life and others degrade it so we must be careful about the stories we tell.” mean?

Answer 3

It means that the language we use may highlight weaknesses or disabilities that might make someone feel positioned in a less category.

Question 4

The Labeling Problem: Disadvantages of Labeling:

Answer 4

• Can be linked with stigmas
• Can lead to stereotypes
• Can lead to the spread phenomenon
• Can lead to negative self-fulfilling prophesies

Question 5

Explain “Stigmas”

Answer 5

• Socially unacceptable
• eg. Public nudity, mental health, or HIV (STI)

Question 6

Explain “Stereotypes”

Answer 6

Instant gratification
can be true or false, or positive or negative
“gen z cannot have a long term commitment”
“Men are less emotional”

Question 7

Explain “The Spread Phenomenon”

Answer 7

Assuming a characteristic about someone because of …
- eg. If you are good in that sport, you should be able to be good in all sports”
- “Disabled people are not interested in sport”
- “A person is not smart because of their reading impairment”

Question 8

Explain “Negative Self-fulfilling Prophesies”

Answer 8

• “Im not good in math”
  Feeding the negative understanding, so the person actually feels they are not good in math, when in reality they are good in math.

Question 9

Labeling Exceptions: Advantages of Labeling:

Answer 9

• Facilitate communication
• Access funding
• Receive treatment
• Access programs
• Sports classification

Question 10

Explain “Facilitate Communication”

Answer 10

Talking too much or too little about the issue

Question 11

Explain “Access funding”

Answer 11

Disabled kids get funding for their disability, but sometimes they have to prove that they are actually disabled to get enough funding for their situation

Question 12

Explain “Receive treatment”

Answer 12

Procedure, diagnosis, performed treatments.

Question 13

Explain “Access programs”

Answer 13

Eg. The Steadward center, generalized understanding to accept people that were denied access in the past, in physical activity centers.
May not have the capabilities to accept complex situations.

Question 14

Explain “Sports classification”

Answer 14

Labeling used for positioning of people with specific expertise or level.
Eg. Boxing and class drop weight to fight/ compete against less

Question 15

Define “Euphemism”:

Answer 15

one expression is used to replace another

Question 16

Example of Euphemism:
- crappy couch for sale –>

Answer 16

well-used couch

Question 17

Example of Euphemism:
- old people –>

Answer 17

seniors

Question 18

Example of Euphemism:
- go away –>

Answer 18

I need some me time

Question 19

Example of Euphemism:
- Bathroom –>

Answer 19

Restroom

Question 20

Example of Euphemism:
- You are fired –>

Answer 20

You are let go, you are laid off

Question 21

An Example of Euphemistic Language

Answer 21

• 1876 – American Association of Medical Officers of Institutions for Idiotic and Feebleminded Persons
• 1933 – American Association on Mental Deficiency
• 1988 – American Association on Mental Retardation
• 2006 – American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Question 22

English Language Disability Terminologies: Considering Historical and Theoretical Contexts

Answer 22

The more obvious you are from the norm, the more you are perceived as in-ordinary.

Question 23

Rights Based Model: Person-First Language Example:

Answer 23

e.g. “person with a disability,” “person with multiple sclerosis,” “person without a disability”

Question 24

In the Rights Based Model: Person-First Language Model, disability is viewed as:

Answer 24

• an unchangeable biological trait of a person
• that person should not be discriminated against legally because of the disability
• person is viewed as a whole human

Question 25

Person-First Language Model avoid language like:

Answer 25

• Referring to the person with their disability: disabled person
• Referring to the person with their condition: epileptic
• Referring to the person with a negative tone: stroke victim or wheelchair bound
• Referred to as a slur: cripple

Question 26

The UK Social Model: Example

Answer 26

i.e. “disabled person,” “non-disabled”

Question 27

The UK Social Model definition:

Answer 27

• Disability is conceptualized as a set of socially and structurally produced relationships and processes.
• Societies disable people

Question 28

The UK Social Model Diagnosis of disability:

Answer 28

Impairment

Question 29

Medical Model: Example

Answer 29

e.g. “person with cerebral palsy,” “person without…”, “typically developing”

Question 30

Medical Model definition:

Answer 30

Disability looked at as abnormal a problematic individual trait

Question 31

Sometimes, using the terms “person with impairment” or “person diagnosed with” can be helpful to whom? Why?

Answer 31

Helpful to those who study from a biological/health perspective can acknowledge the role of social structures (e.g., the WHO definition of disability)

Question 32

Relational, Intersectional and Experiential Models: Self-identification and Variation in Disability Experiences: example

Answer 32

i.e. “person who identifies as…” “person who experiences disability”

Question 33

Relational, Intersectional and Experiential Models: Self-identification and Variation in Disability Experiences definition:

Answer 33

Recognizes the significant differences in experiences, understandings, and identities.

Question 34

Relational, Intersectional and Experiential Models: Self-identification and Variation in Disability Experiences uses what models?

Answer 34

Rights-based Model & Social Model,
- With greater consideration to the identities and experiences of people.
- Values the way people see themselves

Question 35

Community-Specific Terminology

Answer 35

Capital D “Deaf”, Small d “deaf”, and “d/Deaf”

Question 36

Capital D “Deaf”

Answer 36

reject medical understandings, conceptualize self/community as part of linguistic minority and rich cultural tradition

Question 37

Small d “deaf”

Answer 37

(or person with hearing loss) equated to medical model/person first language to refer to people with non-normative levels of hearing

Question 38

“d/Deaf”

Answer 38

This term recognizes how understandings and identities are shifting

Question 39

Comparative Terminology example:

Answer 39

e.g. Normal vs Abnormal

Question 40

Comparative Terminology came up with:

Answer 40

The Social Construction of Disability in a Society of Normalization

Question 41

What is the problem with Normalization?

Answer 41

The emergence of a notion of normalcy is what, then, creates the “problem” of the disabled person.”

Question 42

Guidelines for Speaking and Writing

Answer 42

1. Communicate dignity and respect (avoid slang terms e.g. gimp, slow, lame)
2. Refer to impairment and disability when relevant
3. Avoid use of acronyms (e.g. CP, MS etc…)
4. Avoid terms that infer dependency (e.g. wheelchair bound vs person who uses a wheelchair)
5. Avoid medicalizing (e.g. patient vs client)
6. Avoid emotional descriptors (e.g. victim of, suffering from)

Question 43

Eli Clare excerpt – “The Mountain” states that disability and acheivement:

Answer 43

Contradict each other and that any disabled person who overcomes this contradiction is heroic.

Question 44

“person with a disability” –> Social Model

Answer 44

disabled person

Question 45

“person with SCI” –> Person First

Answer 45

person with a spinal cord injury

Question 46

“normal person” –> Experiential Model

Answer 46

person who does not experience disability

Question 47

“the mentally handicapped” –> Medical Model (considers social and rights based)

Answer 47

individuals with an intellectual impairment