(Untitled)

[f1r3anda1r]

So apparently the new American "Transformer" toy is named "Spastic"?

Unfortunately, to the English this is tears-in-your-eyes, can't-breathe funny -- on a par with coming out with a toy named "Retard"...

Comments

[bhudson]

Just to the English?

[f1r3anda1r]

ok, it's funny in America too, but less so because it's less offensive. (Actually "retard" doesn't really cover it -- over here, it's almost up there with the n-word.)

(See Wikipedia on the evolution of the term in both countries. ("...In 2007, Lynne Murphy, a linguist at the University of Sussex, described the term as being 'one of the most taboo insults to a British ear'.")

[bhudson]

Interesting. I had no idea it had anything to do with cerebral palsy; if I'd thought about it I'd have assumed a borrow from yiddish.

The Transformers line of robot toys includes a character named "Spastic". Hasbro, the makers of Transformers, said that it would not release "Spastic" in the UK.

[raemaxwell]

Oh god, seriously? I missed that memo.

Even in North America that skews towards politically incorrect. Its use as a playful insult has died out, so its mainly just used to label a symptom of cerebral palsy and similar disorders. Thats not cool at all to use as a name for a cartoon character.