to think dawn french could have chosen a different term to use in her book? Mong is just a bit too offensive.

[grumpypants]

I can't keep reading it. My cousin has Downs and I find it too offensive. The teenage daughter keeps referring to friends as 'mongs'. I know no insult is acceptable, and characterisation etc etc but it's not such high literary style that this could be acceptable.

But what can be said?

No one has been issued with the New speak acceptable list

look at the offensive terms used on here:

Vanadal- ethnic slur
goth- appropriating a culture for fashion
loon - disablist
childish -ageist

words evolve, and i doubt few people using it know the mongoloid> downs connection

I would also add that if you watch old clips of her on youtube, there are plenty of times she has been crass and vulgar...its what she does...

I agree that she was forming a character , but why form it with that word?

A very limited imagination I suspect!