"The meaning of mongol"

[ArsenicSoup]

On Radio 4 now (and doubtless available on iplayer later)

AIBU to think this should be played in every secondary classroom?

I read this article about it in the news yesterday. Very interesting.

It is

I've just read the article linked to by Fairenuff and am horrified by the extreme ignorance described in it.

There are some shockingly ignorant people in this world!

I have heard politicians (one) use it on the radio before now. they should know better.

Yes I read about this yesterday as well. It boils my piss when I hear/read references to "you mong", largely from teenagers. I challenge it every single time. So sad for the author, losing her baby son. The article really touched me.

Mong has become slang, like cool or wicked. It needs to be explained to school children that it is not acceptable.

I hate it, I teach, I challenge it every single time. often...They just don't know it's wrong because their parents use it. sad.

often...They just don't know it's wrong because their parents use it. sad.

Same happens on MN every couple of months

I never even heard Mongol or Mongoloid until I was an adult, and I thought they were referring to Mongolians. It was in a movie and I was confused why they were calling the white kid with Down Syndrome a Mongolian until I looked it up online mid-movie. It was an old movie, I forget the name, but the lady that was suppose to get rid of the baby ended up adopting it or something Hallmarky like that. Weird movie.

Anyway, there are clearly more respectful labels now. We don't call black people "Blacks" or "colored people" anymore, it's not so hard to get on the times and refer to Down Syndrome people more respectfully.

Or even "people with Downs Syndrome"

Or even "people with Downs Syndrome"

So, people are surprised at the origin of the word? I thought it was common knowledge?

I hate it. Local to where I'm living now, they say 'I'm getting monged', meaning getting mortally drunk. Awful. I'm not from this area and was so shocked when I heard it. Those who say it think it's ok.

Oh go on I'll bite. 'Respectful label'? 'Down Syndrome People'?

Bulbasaur could be correct with 'downs syndrome people'. It sounds wrong but as disabled people is now correct and people with disabilities is wrong (until the next changearound that is!!) then it makes sense that downs syndrome people is right and people with downs syndrome is wrong.

I'll admit to not knowing the origin of mong or mongaloid. I know it's derogatory but I'm not sure why. I've always assumed it is drawing a parallel between facial features in downs syndrome and Mongolians but I'm not sure there's much resemblance so that's probably wrong!

People with Down's Syndrome.

I've chided a few people for using the word and they have been, without fail, horrified when they heard what the word actually meant. All thought it referred to being stoned and hadn't thought much further.

I don't think the etymology is commonly known. Although more are aware since Ricky Gervais, I only knew as I found a book referring to mongoloid children in my teens and asked my mum what it meant. I go for education first, hopefully it gets people thinking about the words they use more.

I don't think that's right Manic as there's a different reason why "disabled" comes before "people" that doesn't apply to any particular disability, iyswim.

Oh go on I'll bite. 'Respectful label'? 'Down Syndrome People'?

Label: A descriptive term; an epithet. There's nothing disrespectful about the word label. I think it's pretty clear there was no disrespect intended in the rest of my post either.

But you know, you're always welcome to hone in on one part of my post to get righteously outraged and "offended" to feel like a better person.

If you wanted a hint: The main point of my post was that Mong or Mongoloid was just as offensive as the word retard.

I hope this clears things up. :)

I've never used it myself and got bullied in school for being angry when other people used it and refusing To laugh along with "everyone". This was in the 70's.

will read the link when I'm less tired

I think "Mong" can sometimes be used to describe being under an influence of mogadon.

If used to refer to people with DS, then is extremely offensive :(

It's Down Syndrome people that sounds bad Bulbasaur. People don't say 'my down's syndrome child', 'my down's syndrome sister' etc. Partly because the grammar doesn't work but mostly because it's important to put the person before the disability - otherwise it sounds as if they are defined by their disability. Especially I think with something like Down's Syndrome because people can have such characteristic visible differences, and so are I think particularly othered. For example it's really important for my sister that family in particular talk about the things her daughter has in common with her cousins, that she is a member of the family first and has Down's Syndrome after IYSWIM.

Greyhound I think that probably is still a reference to downs syndrome, given that 'mong' is not really very close to mogodon (wouldn't it be 'mog' 'mogged'?) and that it appears to have crept into slang use for being stoned or drunk and is highly likely to refer to the perception that those who are for some reason out of it resemble someone with learning disabilities.

I'm guilty of this, I didn't realise, I just didn't connect the dots. I asked someone - my now DH - what it meant and I caught on when he pulled a face. This was nearly 20 years ago! I challenge it now when I hear it.
When I was young folk used the awful word for cerebral palsy, they used to get a quick lesson from me. My DC used to be so embarrassed when I did, but they never used it in my ear shot.

I remember feeling appalled when a woman at the school gates said that she didn't want her child, whom she considered to be of superior intellect, to be grouped amongst the "mongs" in his class.